AGFAJ III: Rebirth
by BlazeMarko14
Summary: The Force is Balance. Self-regulating. However, some things are just too stubborn to stay down, both the good and the evil. He thought the circle had been completed and his job was finished, but he'll soon find out that there is much more work to be done. "There is no death; there is the Force." Who knew that he would take that so literally? (T for swearing, violence, themes)
1. Prologue: Days Gone By

**"Here we go again." - C-3P0**

* * *

Prologue:

**Days Gone By**

"Two years ago, today, the Republic – no, the entire galaxy – was saved from destruction from the Shadow Brigade's superweapon: the Galaxy Gun. The short but brutal war claimed the lives of many beings, loved ones, and heroes. Blaze Marko was one such hero. The man who fought and won the final battle of the Clone War and who sacrificed himself to end the Shadow War. On this day, we celebrate the freedom his sacrifice has brought and the lives that continue on because of him!"

The planet of Coruscant erupted in thunderous applause. But, then again, Bail Organa – now Chancellor - always had a way with words. When he was the Senator of Alderaan, his speeches were the stuff of legend. One could say his words could move the minds of Neimoidians if he so chose to do so.

Ahsoka knew that he was the best option when Padme Amidala stepped down after her second term. The galaxy would have gladly let her go on for a third term, but she and Anakin had decided to purchase a house on the Naboo Lakefront while Anakin took a break from his Jedi duties. The new rules that Blaze had put into place at the end of the Clone War were still in place.

Blaze.

Her fiancé.

Her _late _fiancé.

Her hand twitched at her side, emotions rising up in her throat. For a moment, she thought they would get the better of her. But, she regained her composure, took another breath, and straightened up just as a camera droid took a wide angle shot of the suite.

She had forgotten that she was in one of the more luxurious suites of the newly refurbished Senate Spire. In the center, as he always was, was Organa delivering the speech. Beside him were his two advisors and their proud smiles were evident to the entire room.

She cast a look to the side and saw Mara playing with her siblings, Max and Lexiah. Max took on more of his father's qualities. Dark brown hair, emerald eyes, and tan skin. The only thing that he had gotten from her was the white tattoos that were visible on both biceps. They were small, trivial lines that swerved a little down, crooking them a bit. As he aged, they would grow.

Lexiah, on the other hand, was the opposite. She had dipped into her mother's gene pool. White and blue lekku and orange skin that was slightly lighter than Ahsoka's, a glitch in the pool from Blaze's human side. Lexiah's eyes were a mixture of blue and green, a turquoise hue that seemed to peer into her own crystal blue orbs.

They were perfect. They were hers. They were _theirs. _

She reached down and pulled a drink to her mouth, her mind seeming to melt away into the past. Try as she might, and she did try, she could not help the rush of memories that assaulted her mind. Even now, they were as vivid as ever.

The beginning.

The middle.

The _end. _

_Day 730 without him._

All of those memories were wrapped up like a neat present in her head and the hands of her mind continued to open them, as if it was Life Day.

In a way, it was Life Day. Sacrifice to breed new life. She was glad she didn't have to explain it to her children yet. They were far too young for such truths, but one day they would ask her and she would have to answer. There was no escaping it.

"Ahsoka."

She turned, seeing Jake Marko walking to her, a small smile on his face. One, she knew, was laced with hidden pain. But, he too knew when to be open about his feelings and when to hold them within.

Nonetheless, she opened her arms wide to him, enveloping him in a hug. After a few seconds, they parted and Jake cast a glance to the center podium.

"Good speech?" Jake said.

Ahsoka saw the perspiration on his forehead glinting in the overhead light. She took note on how his tunic was thrown on and realized that part of his upper torso sagged a bit and reeked of softener.

She smiled, "Chancellor Organa has a way with words. He always has." She pointed quaintly at his shirt, "Good sleep?"

Jake's face turned red for a moment and an impish grin took place of his features, "Long night."

Ahsoka nodded, then turned back to the podium tower, gesturing for Jake to stand beside her. He did and looked out. Once again, the beauty of such a thing couldn't be lost on even him.

Jake Marko, now the ripe age of nineteen years old, had grown up remarkably fast considering everything he had gone through since his arrival in the galaxy far, far away. Two years ago, he would have classified himself as a hot-shot with the skills to boost his ever-inflating ego. But, after the war, he forced himself to take root and enjoy the finer things that the galaxy, and the Jedi, had to offer.

At first, grief had nearly consumed him, but he had buried himself in his work. He traveled to hundreds of planets, aiding in whatever he could. If there was a petty squabble happening on a derelict world that requested the help of the Jedi, Jake Marko was at the head of the team sent to help.

He enjoyed it, Ahsoka knew, but it was merely a pastime to hide his true feelings. That was not to say he did not enjoy helping others, but even he needed time. And, now, Ahsoka could still see the pain behind the eyes. The lines under his eyes, however, the ones from unbearable pain, had almost ebbed away completely.

As for Ziv, she did not know. She had not seen him in many months when he had accepted a mission for relief missions in the Outer Rim with his mate. She made a note to try to regain contact soon.

Organa continued to speak, his voice booming throughout the entire structure. People cheered, drinks were popped, and laughs rung all around. Inside the suite, many of their friends were joining in on the celebration.

Ahsoka knew Anakin was most likely watching from his home on Naboo. He had never enjoyed events such as these, but she could hardly blame him. Most of the time – and she did stress _most _– there was pointless chatter followed by even more pointless posturing from everyone _but _the Chancellor.

He had elected not to go because he simply did not want to. In the back of her mind, Ahsoka wondered if he still couldn't face what had happened. What he had failed to do, in his mind. He was the Chosen One, and in the end – again – it was Blaze who had made the ultimate decision. Not only that, but that they had fought. Vader had surfaced due to the Dark Influence.

Memories flashed before her eyes. She saw Blaze and Kane fighting side by side, Vader hammering away at their defenses. Blaze was already badly injured and Kane was beginning to look the same. She joined into the fight, half of her squad with her. It wasn't long before they were cut down, men she had served with since Blaze came into their world.

And, while she had Vader distracted – something that felt oddly familiar – Blaze separated Anakin from Vader. Then, Kane had restrained her and pulled her into the throne, which an escape pod then materialized around them. She remembered rebar sticking out of her love's shoulder and ribs, blood pooling onto the ground.

Before they were out of sight, she saw Blaze cut Vader down. Then, he had spoken through their bond one last time.

She willed herself not to remember, the pain becoming too much, her heart hammering too fast. But, she couldn't help it. The words drifted through her ears as if she was hearing them clearly for the first time.

"_My purpose. I found it." _

Then, in less than a minute, he was gone. The world erupted in fire.

Suddenly, she was back in the suite, gazing onto the floor as tears streamed down her stoic face. She reached up, wiped them away, and continued to stare out, reaching for the Force to give her peace.

Jake caught it.

His hand laid upon her shoulder and she stiffened slightly, then relaxed somewhat.

"I miss him too." Jake said softly, a tone she rarely heard from him. "I miss him every day I wake up."

"I know you do." Was the only thing she could get her mouth to say.

Jake squeezed slightly, "I held out hope that my brother had survived somehow. You know him. Stubborn." He said, "I searched for weeks for anything. Something."

Ahsoka nodded. She did remember. She remembered weeping against her former Master and Obi Wan while Jake blasted off to the battle site to search and search for Blaze. A brother's love, she thought, was a bond undeterred by mere facts.

"Then, I realized he was gone." Jake continued. "But, just like him, he went out saving me. Saving you." He pointed his head at Max and Lexiah and Mara, "Saving them." He picked up the cup beside him and offered it to her.

Ahsoka took it, downed the glass, and set it on the railing. She was glad it was only water.

"Even now," Jake said. "I wait for him to appear outside my door and ask me if I want to go for a run in Core Square." Tears of his own sprang up, "My mom. My dad. My brother. Gone. The last of the old Kentic family." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a protective embrace, "But, I gained more family. You. Max. Lexiah. Mara. He's still here through all of you."

Ahsoka sniffled, then she looked at him. His blue eyes were full of emotion, but his face was strongly set. He was right.

She wiped her face again and gave a watery smile, "Thank you, Jake. He would've been proud of what you've done and who you've grown to be. I know I am."

Jake returned the gesture, "That means the world to me, my sister."

Ahsoka felt her heart warm. That was the second time he'd ever referred to her as his sister. She and Blaze hadn't even been married yet before his death, but Jake and everyone else had already etched it into their hearts and minds.

They were family.

Master Yoda had said before that the shadow of greed from attachments would ultimately lead to the Dark Side, but Blaze had convinced him otherwise. That love and compassion unabated could lead to something much more powerful. And, it had. It had given birth to something much stronger: hope and fulfillment. There had now been a sense of love that the Jedi of old had felt. Something personal for them to fight for. At the end of the day, they would come home to the person, or people, that they loved the most.

Jake smiled, then turned to look at the kids, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to play with my nieces and nephew." He slowly crept towards them and pounced on them.

Ahsoka smiled, then frowned as her comlink beeped. Was it Anakin calling on her to check up? She did not doubt it.

She excused herself from the room and stepped out into the hallway. She keyed the device and chuckled, "Master, I thought you'd call sooner."

"_It's not Skywalker."_

That voice.

For an instant, her heart stopped beating. Then, she replayed the voice, taking into account past experiences and vocal tone. The pieces fit back into place, and the frown deepened.

"Kane."

"_Miss Tano. Good to know you're still around." _He said, his voice an exact copy of Blaze's with a darker undertone.

One of Blaze's last requests, via a telepathic link to Kane himself, was to watch after Ahsoka until the twins were born so that she did not sink into despair. Kane had agreed for his template. It had been over a year since she had heard him, let alone seen him.

But, here he was. Out of the blue.

"Rough patches are rough patches." Ahsoka said, her voice devoid of all emotion. She willed herself to stop shaking and her body obliged her. "What do you want?"

There was a pause. _"I just wanted to check on your wellbeing."_

Ahsoka felt the pause as if it was two hands stopping a moving target on their own, "And?"

"_There is something out of balance in the galaxy."_

Ahsoka nodded, more to herself than to Kane.

Besides the dread of the current day, recently, the Force had felt out of balance. There was a certain…mutation to the normal ebb and flow of the universe. At first, she had just thought it was her own thoughts and emotions adding to the mixture of the current lifestyle.

"Why are _you _the one telling me?" Ahsoka said. "Surely, the Council would sense it before you."

"_The Council is more focused on small time offenses and land squabbles than actual threats. Even in light of recent events, I would think that you realize that." _Kane said. _"No. You are the only person I am comfortable informing. Not to mention, the only one I can."_

"And, what, pray tell, would be so important that you would need to contact me?" Ahsoka said, the back of her mind bristling with unwanted thoughts.

Kane, like Jake, had set off to try to find Blaze after the end. The reason being that Blaze and he were linked. If Blaze died, theoretically, then Kane would die as well. But, he hadn't. In fact, he felt as if the loss of life was more beneficial to his spirit without actually experiencing the life leaving the original's body.

That fact had led Kane to believe that Blaze was still alive, somewhere in the cosmos. There was no solid lead onto that speculation other than Kane's own continued existence. A singular fact duly noted by Ahsoka, Jake, and Kane in unison.

After six months of using all of the Shadow Brigade's resources, equipment, and personnel, Kane had come up short handed, just as Blaze's brother had. The trail was nonexistent and the clock had struck the final hour on Blaze Marko.

That was when the hope of universe truly died.

From then, Kane continued his mission to protect Ahsoka and make sure she continued on for her children.

Kane was silent for a moment, then when he spoke his voice had taken on a cautious tone, _"Do you remember what I told you about the main crystal that powered the Galaxy Gun?"_

Ahsoka nodded, "That it was one of the strongest kyber shards in the galaxy. That its untapped potential was dangerous."

"_And, where is that shard now?" _

Ahsoka thought back to when Jake came back, the metal box with clear glass surrounding on all sides, peering within. Inside the containment unit was a kyber shard made of lime green crystal. On either side were small needles that seemed to stab into the crystal, withdrawing semi-clear air particles that resonated with the Force. When Ahsoka had tried to reach out to the crystal, it screamed back into her mind, echoing off the walls of her brain as if it was trying to expand the space already there.

"Only the Master Yoda and I know of its existence and location, besides its protector. It is within the Spire with Master Huyang." Ahsoka said, not realizing the words pushing past her lips till her own auditory receptors picked up on the syllables, "The vessel is ever travelling so acquiring the shard will be nearly impossible without the energy signature."

Kane seemed to ponder her words then said, _"Good. Now, remember how that felt. The power within the shard. Put that into a mental image and reach out with your senses."_

"You want me to try to reach for that specific feel through the Force?" Ahsoka asked, hesitant. Not out of fear or indecision but out of confusion.

"_Yes." _

Ahsoka did just that. With the power of the Force flowing through her, she stretched out with her feelings. The net of energy spreading out to encompass the entire galaxy. Within seconds, the energy of the cosmos was made bare to her. Her presence reached out to touch the very strands of reality, the multi-colored beams of life energy surging around and penetrating everything, even her. She was aware of the cosmic existence she now found herself in.

Life.

Peace.

Air.

Water.

Sadness.

Death.

Life.

Courage.

Fear.

Triumph.

Love.

Confusion.

Weakness.

_Power. _

There it was. Power. That overwhelming aspect of power. That reality bending, head-turning, bound breaking, limit shattering, galaxy-wide expanse of unbelievable _power_.

She homed in on it, consciously realizing how hot her skin was becoming as her mind approached it. Then, she centered. The power doubled back on her, became infinitely stronger, then became a focal point, a bright white light emanating from the center of the flow of strength.

She opened her eyes, seeing no one around. She looked down at her communicator and nodded to herself, then spoke to Kane, "I feel it. Where?"

"_You must realize this is a gamble." _Kane said. _"This is a mission too dangerous for you alone."_

"Tell me."

"_Felucia."_

Ahsoka knew the planet well. Her first mission to Felucia taught her to be humble in retreat. Her second mission taught her to be more vigilant around her rather than simply focusing on the path laid before her.

The third trip, she told herself, would teach her another lesson yet again she was sure of.

"_I can feel it. I've seen it." _Kane said softly. _"The natives have gone mad. The question is: why? The answer is: the shard. It has been found by someone, or something, and it has poisoned the planet and its people."_

That only left one mystery unsolved.

Ahsoka frowned, "If you can feel it, if you can sense the corruption, then why haven't you gone for the shard? You want it. You may not be at war with us anymore, but you still crave such power."

Silence hung in the air. Sweat formed on Ahsoka's forehead.

"_In all honesty, the last time I sensed THIS power, I watched Blaze Marko die."_

The blood in Ahsoka's veins turned to ice, but her voice remained still, "Do you think it is him?"

"_No."_

Blood flowed again, followed by hollow sadness.

"_But, one can hope."_

The fire ignited.

_Hope. _

Ahsoka abruptly shut off the channel and turned towards the closed door of the suite. She reached her hand out at Jake, then thought better of it and put her hand down.

Indirectly, Kane told her to bring someone along. She needed someone calculating, headstrong, and good on the terrain. There was only one person who had the instincts and talent necessary for such a mission. Someone she trusted with her life and with her children if need be. Someone who had served diligently with her since her induction into the Clone Wars.

Captain Rex.


	2. Chapter 1: Objective

**Okay, so I didn't say this in the last post: chapters on this story will come in one to two week intervals since the story is being written. The only reason I'm posting two chapters in two days is due to the fact that they are finished. However, there are more chapters finished. But, as you all know, suspense keeps the game going and interests are peaked. That being said, I hope you enjoy the first chapter!**

Chapter 1

**Objective**

Dreams could be just that, dreams.

But, at that moment in time, Ahsoka Tano was having a nightmare.

She was brought back to the Devastator. Her body was there once again in the past, her stance firm and sabers at the ready. However, this time, she was merely a passenger as it seemed someone else controlled her actions.

She was dueling Vader. His strikes were powerful and swift, nearly knocking the blades from her hands several times. Her acrobatics came in handy when he went for overhead sweeps and slashes.

But, she was carrying a baby so she limited her jumping but not her swiftness.

The battle went as it did. Kane, Blaze, and Ahsoka all tried to overtake Vader but it yielded little to no fruit. At the height of the battle, she caught Blaze's eye and reached out with the Force. That was when she picked up on part of the message he had sent to Kane.

Suddenly, she was flung backwards, smacking into Kane as he pulled his arms over her, falling back into the throne and activating his escape pod. Metal screeched on metal as the pod overtook the space between her and the duel.

She saw what she saw the first time around, yes, but then it changed.

Her consciousness was pulled out of the moment, flying through space until she was in front of Blaze again.

Was the Force allowing her to see what had happened? For years, she had thought of what transpired beyond her understanding, but now she was able to see what lied before her.

Her stomach twisted.

Blaze was there on his knees, a smile on his face as the crimson blade stabbed through his chest, missing his heart but still sending waves of absolute and crippling pain through his system. She saw his irises blink out of existence, only to flash back to life, fire burning through.

He reached out his hand, the darksaber flying into his hand as he ripped away from Vader's grasp. Shock was evident on the Sith's face for but a moment before he found that his right hand had been severed at the wrist.

Vader tried to counter, pulling his lightsaber to his other hand, but Blaze had dashed forward and cut off that hand as well, then his legs, then threw him over to the destroyed elevator shaft, letting him fall into the depths, darkness pouring out of his stumps.

Blaze sunk to his knees and Ahsoka thought this was the moment he died. His fingers ghosted over his comlink as she felt the last words on his mind.

"My purpose. I found it."

Then, he hit the switch.

Explosions trigged all around him on every level of the station, fires erupting and snuffing out several lives, but most got away on ships or pods as the battle outside dwindled down, Kane telling his forces to halt their assault.

The unabridged smell of smoke assaulted her own senses and she choked out a soft cough, straining to keep her eyes open as her vision started to blur. Then, she realized that she had taken her focus off of Blaze.

When she turned back to face him, he was at a standing position again. Confusion spread through her and she found she could walk. She walked around to face him and nearly gasped in surprise. His face was stoic but angry at the same time. But, his eyes were void of any color. They were two clear pools that reflected her cerulean orbs.

She tried to reach out into the Force but found that it was impossible. She'd been granted movement but not full access.

Blaze's body bulged and twitched, blood still leaking from his wounds on his abdomen as well as his face, arms, and legs. It looked as if there was a pressure build up within him, stretching his skin and bristling it with small bumps.

Then, he let out a ferocious shout.

She had never heard anything like it before. It was a scream of pure rage and hopelessness. It was like his body was trying, by pure force of will and not consciousness, to stand against the flames themselves. His spirit – his will – was trying to preserve his mortality.

The shout broke off as his voice cracked and splintered away, tears streaming down his face, eyes wide open and vacant of recognition.

Ahsoka reflected. It was not the Force trying to help him, either, she thought. This was purely his body and brain working together to try to save the shell that had once been Blaze Marko. The fire was gone from his eyes and she knew that he was gone, but his mortal flesh wouldn't allow it to be so.

The timer on the destruction was nearing its peak and she could feel the vibrations erupting from below. The core of the ship was mere moments away from total destruction, and here he was.

Alone.

Beaten.

_Gone._

Then, she felt something through the Force. A presence she hadn't felt since…

The entire vision ended, her body being thrown through time and space to land right back onto her bunk within the Beast.

Sweat stuck to her body like a sheet, droplets coalescing into larger streams to fall off onto the floor, pooling in sticky puddles. She tried to regain her composure immediately, but her body spasmed, sending her sprawling onto the floor.

Her legs felt like Koakian jelly. She made several attempts to rise to her feet, but each one ended in her return to the durasteel floor. Reaching out to the Force, she made it to her feet, her balance off and she fell to the side, gripping a wall for support.

When she reached the control panel, the metal door swished open, revealing an aged captain who used to command armies for the Galactic Republic but had since hung up his pauldron for a teaching position training a military force made up of recruits rather than clones. In the last year, he had grown a thick beard that was starting to grey in some areas. A sign of the accelerated cloning process taking its toll on him.

"Ahsoka." Rex said, leaning down and supporting her under the shoulder.

She accepted the help, but said, "I'm fine, Rex. Just a bit of space-lag."

Rex gave her a look but said nothing. After a moment, Ahsoka righted herself and followed him to the cockpit where they were still in hyperspace. She looked down at the instrument panel and saw the eta. They would arrive in thirteen hours, meaning she had slept for a total of sixteen hours already.

"I didn't know I'd been sleeping that long." Ahsoka said softly, sitting down in the co-pilot's seat, her hands coming up to grasp the steering mechanism. "Sorry to have left you so bored."

Recognizing the deterrent, Rex smiled slightly, "Humor won't hide you, kid. Your face when I opened the door was horrified. What did you see?"

Ahsoka blinked at him, then chuckled softly.

When she had first met Rex on the battle-riddled world of Christophsis, she had been arrogant and headstrong for her first mission. There she was, a Padawan learner being assigned to the Chosen One and being thrust into battle. She had spoken to Rex about outranking him, and he had told her that experience outranked everything, to which she replied she would get some.

Now, over eleven years later, she couldn't help but think that her experiences had tried to prepare her for tough situations and choices, but nothing could make you ready for the real thing.

Rex was engineered to resist stress, PTSD, and other ailments that came with putting your life on the line every day to fight a war that you were bred for. And, his experience with growing twice the rate of normal humans had given him the ability of accelerated brain development as well. His brain, at that moment, had cyphered through her dismissal and given him clairvoyance to what she had tried to hide.

Ahsoka lowered her hands to her lap, her vision focusing on the stretched-out stars before her, "I saw it all over again."

"Saw what, kid?"

"Blaze's death."

Rex swallowed hard but not audibly. He took a seat, "You didn't see it though, right? You were aboard that pod with Kane."

Ahsoka nodded, "You're right. I wasn't there. But, my dream took me there. I think the Force showed me what happened."

Silence hung for a moment before Rex, ever the soldier at heart, said in a strong, firm voice, "And, what did it reveal?"

"At the end, he set the explosives off, just like the plan had originally been. But, his body didn't give up even when his identity had." Ahsoka explained, then her head furrowed in question.

Rex caught it, "Something else. There's something else."

Ahsoka was taken aback for a moment before realizing exactly who she was talking to, then she raised a hand, "I felt someone. Someone familiar."

"Onboard the station?" Rex asked, "According to Commander Lyra, she was the only person to make it out of the reactor room. Cali perished. Kane had you and Skywalker. No one else was a part of that mission and no one was missing since."

Ahsoka thought about his words, then reached out into the Force, letting it flow over her in a wave of calming energy. She dissected each of his words and let them hang in the air as if it was a hologram waiting for her command.

In the end, he was right. There was no one missing from the widespread group, and that group was not so vast to begin with.

Stumped, she lowered her gaze down to the instrument panel, "Perhaps there wasn't anyone…but what I saw was real."

Rex nodded, "I don't doubt that. The Force has showed you many things throughout the years. Doesn't surprise me it would show you the past too."

Ahsoka reached deep within her memories, finding a conversation between her and Blaze of something similar. He had spoken of a technique used by Force wielders that allowed them to glimpse the past. It was called Flow Walking. But, he hadn't taught her because he hadn't known it. The Force, however, seemed to think differently when it came to the grand scheme of such things.

Rex looked outside of the cockpit and caught a glimpse of the passing stars, "Whatever the case, Commander, our first priority is to figure out this disturbance. You said that it could have something to do with Blaze, right?"

Ahsoka's face shifted a bit, "Something like that. It might be the shard that was inside his lightsaber."

"And, someone is using it to have control over the inhabitants?"

"Yes." Ahsoka said, "Our job is to retrieve it. But, for your sake, just cover me if need be. You can't touch this crystal with your hands, only with the Force.

Rex gave a short laugh, then adjusted himself in his chair, his hands grabbing the controls instinctively, "I'll leave it to you." A small silence passed between them and then he said, "I'm proud of you, kid."

"What for?" Ahsoka asked, genuinely surprised.

Rex's face softened and he stared out into space, but his right hand came over to hold her shoulder, "You keep going. Always have. I think you finally outrank me."

Ahsoka smiled, laying a hand on his own. Her mind flashed to her children. At the moment, they were in the care of Master Kenobi and Siri Tachi. She knew Mara, Max, and Lexiah were in the best hands, but she couldn't help the small amount of sadness that crept into her senses. She willed it away just as quickly as it came, replacing it with the warmth from Rex's affection.

A soldier. A clone. Her friend. Her family.

For a moment, Ahsoka Tano Marko didn't feel so lonely.

Hours later, the landing was short and sweet. A quick pass through the upper and lower atmospheres landed them quickly on the planet's surface. The location, however, was not random. While still some ways away from the sight of the disturbance, they chose to land in a small village south of the Lartain border.

The village elder was one that Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi Wan had assisted some time ago in defending their crops of cilum from Hondo Onaka and his merry band of pirates. In the end, they were successful and Onaka found the entire ordeal "unprofitable", leading to his departure from Felucia entirely.

To Ahsoka, it felt like a lifetime ago. Since that day, more events had transpired in her lifetime than most people went through for generations. Yet, she had endured. And, it had all led to this point in her life. Whether or not the journey turned fruitful was the question.

She and Rex rode on speeder bikes from the ship's cargo carrier and flew across the vegetative landscape. It was only twenty minutes until they reached their destination, but in that twenty minutes there was complete silence. Not a word was spoken, and that was okay.

The Force filled Ahsoka and she surrendered to it. If she fought the waves, then the journey might've damaged her in more ways if her heart was left unsatisfied. So, she surrendered everything to the Force.

They arrived outside of a small outcropping. However, when they arrived, they did not see an army of Force-stricken psychotic Felucians rearing up to tear through life and limb. They, instead, saw a lone figure standing in the center of the small grass.

Rex unholstered his blaster pistols from his side and nodded his head at her, turning around to cover their rear.

She unclipped a single saber from her belt and ignited the blade. She had almost forgotten what color the blade was now. After having her children, Ahsoka became engulfed in intense meditation sessions, some of which the Force reassembled her lightsabers. The crystal of which she had poured her very essence into had changed its hue when she did. The Force now, and then she realized, had resonated with her in a different sort of way. In her younger years, the Force had been a guiding principle and power, but now it was a teacher and a tool. Thus, the power within her shifted and the crystal changed in turn.

The blade now glowed blue.

The figure did not move.

The person in front of her wore dark grey attire, almost looking as if he was a Jedi himself, but she could feel him through the Force and she felt…

She lowered her blade, but she did not deactivate it.

He tricked me. Gave me a power signature to lock onto. A fable.

Her empty hand balled into a fist by her side and a spark of anger shot through her.

"Why did you bring us all the way out here?" She said lowly, causing Rex to turn around.

The figure turned around, the face all too familiar to her.

Kane smiled and crossed his arms. Immediately, she realized that his once brown hair had been dyed black and his build was a bit more significant. The definition made her take an almost imperceptive shift of her feet.

"Fifteen hours." Kane said, "Impressive. Good to know that old ship can still make good competition to newer models."

Ahsoka made a noise, "We aren't here to talk about ships, Kane. I'll ask you one more time, why are we here?"

Rex cut in, "It sure doesn't look like Felucians are mounting an invasion."

Kane nodded, then reached his hand back behind his tunic. Rex gave him a warning glance and raised his pistols. Kane looked at him and chuckled, his teeth showing.

"Captain. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it a long time ago." Kane said, a malicious statement but his voice held no malice. "It is true. I did bring you out here on a lie. However, this situation is something that needs to be handled."

Ahsoka reached a hand forward and a small disc flew out from behind Kane, landing in her palm. She activated the disc and a hologram pulled up of a symbol. In essence, the symbol resembled a setting such with a darkening shadow spreading out from the edges and middle.

"I've seen that symbol." Rex said, coming forward and observing the hologram. He pulled up his wrist comm. and hit a few buttons, scanning the device itself. The display on his wrist flashed blue and information appeared before him, "Yes," he continued, "scout teams found this symbol on a few ammunitions crates during the Shadow War, but there was no reason to believe that it had anything to do with anyone else besides the Shadow Brigade."

Kane's face darkened, "I assure you. This isn't _my_ doing."

"Why bring this?" Ahsoka asked, "What game are you playing?" You let me believe this had something to do with Blaze.

There were only a few people in the universe who knew how to get so far into her mind and heart, and Kane, unfortunately, was one of them. Being Blaze's clone, he had access to all of his memories prior to his completion. And, Ahsoka knew that she and Blaze had shared many a secret up to that point, and not much had ever changed between them.

Nonetheless, she stilled herself for his answer.

Kane had always been a peculiar one, she noted to herself. And, his face showed just that: the way he stood out from his template. There was compassion and knowledge in his eyes, but there was a cold and calculating brain running the show above all else.

The treaty that had been forged had been agreed on by Blaze and Kane, yes, but had Blaze not gone to find the station, she had no doubt that the war would have continued. At times, she had thought if the war would still be going on if not for that.

But, that was the past. This was the present.

"I do not play games, Ahsoka." Kane said firmly, then gestured back to the hologram, "This symbol is linked to an organization I've tracked down called the Dusk of Flames. It is an underworld crime organization with major ties to both Black Sun and the Pike Syndicate."

Rex crossed his arms after putting away his blasters, "If it is a threat, why don't you deal with it? You have plenty of followers to do your bidding."

"I would. In fact, I have pushed them out of the Unknown Regions at every turn. But, as you know, the Shadow Brigade cannot act inside the borders established within the treaty. Meaning I can only do so much. However, I have information that they are about to steal some very valuable technology from a secret medical facility on Kashyyyk." Kane said, pulling the hologram back to him with the Force and tucking it away in his belt pouch. A gust of wind blew past the trio, flinging pollen through the air.

Ahsoka cracked an eyebrow, "The Wookiee home planet? Is it a Republic facility?"

Kane shifted his feet and shook his head, "No," he said, "It is a third-party corporation that I have only gained knowledge of due to the deals they make within the UR."

Now it was Rex's turn to be intrigued, "I was under the impression that the Unknown Regions were mostly just uncharted space lanes and planets without many indigenous life forms."

Kane gave the captain a smile, "And, you would be mostly correct. However, there are secrets that the UR holds that even I haven't figured out yet. This corporation on Kashyyyk mainly deals with the Chiss Ascendency. Though, they would prefer to be left to their own devices."

Kane knew that the first thing that would come to Rex's mind was the opportunity to try to make the Chiss part of the Republic. But, Kane knew better. He only knew better due to Blaze's memories. According to his knowledge, the Chiss were brilliant tacticians and calculating leaders, but aligning without outside worlds was frowned upon due to many unknown variables.

And, Chiss did not like unknown variables.

Kane did not begrudge them. People of all species and walks of life had a side to them that made trust a valuable commodity among all. Valuable and sparsely kept between even the closest of allies. Or friends.

Ahsoka nodded her head, her headpiece coming slightly off and she pushed it back up into place, "The time will come when we will expand our invitation to the outer reaches of the galaxy. Now, we focus on whatever is happening."

Kane nodded and continued, "As I said, they are about to carry out a major hit on this facility, and rumor is that their leader will be present during the attack." He nudged his head slightly to the left and a pair of Shadow Brigade Shadow Troopers came out carrying a large, black, metal box. Just from a glance, Rex saw that it was a munitions case.

Rex walked and met the troopers halfway and took the box by himself, his arm muscles tightening at the sudden weight. He gave a grunt and the troopers moved away, leaving Rex to bring the box forward.

He set it down and opened the lid with a quick slide of the top.

Rex blinked his eyes, "Electro-Magnetic Pulse devices?"

"Yes." Kane said, gesturing to the crate, "These are the same devices that the Dusk has been using to hit small medial facilities on the outlying systems."

Ahsoka glanced over at Rex and then gave a frown, "Well, that would explain why the Republic, and the Jedi, haven't even heard about this group." She pointed to the devices laying in rows, "Now, why do you have these?"

Kane smiled, "This was taken from one of their outposts. I'm giving you this so that you can track down the supplier after you've taken care of the squad going to Kashyyyk."

Rex cocked an eyebrow, "No backup?"

Kane's face turned to stone. Ahsoka felt a chill run up her spine. That look…

"No." Kane said, his voice low, "And, you cannot alert the Republic. The reason I lied to you about why I needed you here is because I believe there is someone in the Republic that is feeding information about certain facilities back to the cartel. Trust no one."

Rex frowned harder, "Let me guess. You'll also provide no support."

"No. My organization may have leaks. Like I said, trust no one."

As much as Ahsoka wanted to argue with him, she found she couldn't utter a word in defense of the Republic. She had seen many times before during the Clone War and the peace that followed that there was always somebody working the other side of the coin.

The fact that there was a spy inside the Republic came as no surprise, but it did unnerve her. There were safeguards and new procedures that had been implemented to prevent more people like Palpatine from coming back into the fray, yet it seemed they had failed.

Even Kane was wary of his own organization. If that didn't send warning bells to air on the side of caution, then she didn't know what would."

So, despite herself, she gave an affirmative nod, "Okay. We shall depart immediately."

Rex looked at his former commander in shock, "We're just going to take what he says at face value?"

Ahsoka shook her head, reaching out through the Force to slide the lid back onto the ammo crate. She stared back at Kane even though she was talking to Rex, "His blood wouldn't allow him to lie to me now. To send me on a fruitless hunt."

Kane gave a small smile, "Honored, Lady Tano."

Ahsoka took a step away, then stopped and swung around to him again, "This leader. He wields the Force, doesn't he?"

Surprise crossed Kane's face for a fraction of a second, but he spoke nonetheless, "Yes. Though, the _who_ is still unknown. A bio-scan of one of the ships showed that most of the crew is humanoid, but his has a higher blood temperature."

There were dozens of species that fit that vague description. It was something, she guessed.

Rex frowned, "Wait. Why is this facility of such importance that no one need know about it?"

Kane's face became stoic and he gave rest a look, "Now that, Captain, is the question, isn't it? I have an answer, but you should see for yourself."

Rex frowned at Kane but gave a small nod before he picked up the crate and walked back toward the shuttle, Ahsoka at his side.

When in the ship, Ahsoka took the pilot seat and turned the engine over. She peered out through the transparisteel viewport, seeing Kane raise his hand in a wave. As if he was saying goodbye.

Rex took his place next to her, "Can you trust what he says?"

Ahsoka nodded slowly, "As much as I hate what he did during the war, Blaze trusted him enough to let him watch over me after the war's end. That is enough for me. I don't trust _him_. But, I trust his _information_."

Rex chuckled and flipped a few switches on the dashboard, the nearest screen lighting up as the equipment check was finished. All systems were optimal. Color: green.

As they started to rise, Rex mumbled, "Wish we would've brought at least one more person now."

"Me too."


	3. Chapter 2: Falling Outside the Black

**Time for the next chapter! Review!**

* * *

Chapter 2:

**Falling Outside the Black **

_Void of all._

_Emptiness of nothing. _

_An imperium of unlocked solitude. _

_Unity within the faults of unlit stars that stretched throughout time and space. What was and what was not. To be and not to be. What has, hasn't, and had yet. _

_The past._

_The future._

_The present._

_Except, there was no present. There was no future. There was absolutely nothing but existence itself. A white light that engulfed everything, but shrouded all in shadows despite the excess of light. _

_A bleeding edge of shadows dripped onto the glossy floor of the plane of creation. A gooey, pungent mass that seeped into the cracks and crevices that no one could see._

_But, there was no one around. Only the void._

_Emptiness of nothing._

_An imperium of unlocked solitude._

_Emotions were nonexistent. The final hour had finally clocked into place in time itself. As if starting itself over. Dangers that once concerned the light reared back at the darkness and it continued to meld, a crisscross pattern of black and white that striped across the void._

_Then, there was a thought._

**_Was it ever real?_**

_Of course, it was real. It had been. Now, there was only the void. The life-clock that had once rung loud and clear had finally been silenced by the bearer himself. The bringer of light. The light itself had taken a warrior back through the vortex of energy, leaving a hole to be filled through the ages._

_There would be light._

_There would be dark._

_There would be balance._

_Pictures flashed all around, turning the white void into a collage of…memories. Memories and events that happened and, perhaps, would still happen in the future. One of many futures possible. Time was as slime was. A malleable mass curved and shaped by the decisions of individuals to complete the circle of the future itself._

_The images, however, that flashed around showed ones of adventure, passion, love, and triumph. But, the ground contorted as well. New images appeared, showing a growing darkness that surpassed the understanding._

_The cracks were starting to overflow now. The light shrieked in dismay and terror. _

_Terror? The light? Darkness? Fear?_

_Yes, fear. That fear gave birth to a cornucopium of dark times. Ones that happened and didn't, but may have._

_The images now showed fear, anger, hate, and suffering. And, that suffering led the now. To the void. _

**_But, through sacrifice and suffering, new life was forged._**

_Yes, but at what cost? The cost had been great. The light and darkness both agreed. The cracks started to fill, but they weren't filling with more black ooze. This time, they were filling with solid light energy, pushing out the darkness. _

_Thousands had come before the end and had faced the void with unblinking eyes that knew what lie ahead. Here was the exception. The fork in the path. The Force had created an inferno within one individual. The One._

_Not the Chosen One._

**_"_****_Perhaps. The prophecy was misread."_**

_The voice was deep and knowing, aged for millennia with many more still to go. A figure. A man. A deity. A phantom. A vergence in the Force itself. _

_The starts were starting to light. _

_Or…was the light always lit? Did the stars shine with or without the sacrifice? Balance. There had to be balance._

**_Did the sacrifice create that balance_**_?_

_The Force was a regulatory system. The Force was all. The Force was nonexistent but existent all the same. The kyber that was not physical but spiritual. Strongest hearts were made of kyber. But, there was no kyber here. Only the void._

_Emptiness of nothing._

_An imperium of unlocked solitude._

**_"_****_This is the end of it all. We are finally safe."_**

_Another voice. Soft and compassionate. Familiar._

_The void opened up, a fissure of nothingness springing forth like a well of fresh water from below the earth. _

**_Mother. _**

_Existence shook and started to crack, but there was nowhere to go. There was only the void, only…_

**_"_****_Let go."_**

**_Let go? Let go?_**

_Hadn't enough been let go? Hadn't the sacrifice been too great already? Hadn't there been enough lost? Hadn't the path been chosen in the moment? Hadn't the excitement cost lives? Hadn't family been erased? _

_The images finally faded and a large cube appeared, solid white. Each side, however, started to change colors, as if refracting the light to form a parallel world of hues and shades. _

**_"…_****_the only person to set things right."_**

_Confidence._

**_"_****_All could be lost…"_**

_Fear._

**_"_****_You've ruined it all!"_**

_Anger._

**_"_****_I'll become your apprentice."_**

_Hope._

**_"_****_They're gone. All gone…"_**

_Sadness._

**_"_****_The battle is over. You're beaten."_**

_Victory._

**_"…_****_I found my purpose."_**

_Sacrifice._

_The void became silent. The darkness disappeared. The light disappeared. There was balance in the nothingness. But, the cube remained, devoid of color now. _

_Then, the frontal face changed a final time. _

_The final image. The final goodbye. The face of the one who held the heart of the One. The One was him and he was the One. And it was she who held his heart dear._

_Clearly, she was seen. Smooth orange skin, crystal azure eyes, a build that suited her athletic lifestyle as well as her warrior spirit. Her spirit to never back down, never give up, and never give in to the darkness. A love above all that transcended even life and death itself. _

_The One could see her now. The One reached out, finally realizing his existence as the stars above him started to shine even brighter, the heat no fervent on his skin. _

_He could feel it._

_There was no mistaking it. The void was not the end. The existence he had believed at the beginning of his venture. But, where was the end?_

_The One looked around in the void, aware that the only thing he could consciously see was the cube in front of him. The cube was the key. The image was the key. _

_She was the key._

_Then, she spoke._

**_"_****_Forever."_**

_And, the One spoke back._

**_ALWAYS._**

_The void, time, space, future, past, present, life, death, evil, good, existence, emotions, actions, spirit, physics, and everything that made up the Force and all of its energy breathed out in a downpour of judgement._

_And, the judgement was good. The judgement was vast. The sea swallowed up the One, the stars starting to blink out, but there was no fear. No anger. No disappointment._

_Did…_

_Did the One know this was coming?_

_The One did._

_He did. _

_But, who was the One?_

_Who had he been?_

_Who would defy the Force? Who would defy the Other Powers? Who would cross the pattern that most could not see?_

_The One did. He was the One. And, the One had been sleeping. The sea was waking him up. The sea was good._

_Now, the time had come._

_Time was ready. Life was accepting. Death was eager. The Light encouraged. The Dark welcomed. _

_The Balance that existed was eternal._

_The sea swallowed the One. Down he sank until the lights were dim but visible still. His sight was restored. The dream was broken, but it was more than a dream. The One knew this as well._

_But, the barrier had been broken. The One understood. There was no turning back. Indeed, it had been written. In no future or circumstance would the One ever change. He would not bow down to death. He would defy life. He would sacrifice. _

_Finally, the One accepted the void for what it was: a void. The will of the One, however, was more than the void._

_Instead of falling _inside_ the black, he felt himself circle around, still falling but _rising_ at the same time._

**_Falling._**

_Falling _**_outside_**_ the black._

* * *

The first thing I saw were bubbles. Small and big bubbles that floated in front of my face, daring me to actually realize what I was seeing. The _fact _of the matter.

The _fact_ that I _could _see.

Warm liquid surrounded me on all sides and I felt a tube connected to a mask that was clasped to my face, feeding me oxygen from a second set of tanks. My lungs inflated and deflated rapidly, my heart rate starting to rise as reality started to push against the barriers of my brain.

Tentatively, I reached my hand up to the mask, feeling around the curvatures and edges to see if there was something I could unclasp, but my newly realized movement failed me. My fingers failed to move on my command and I felt my muscles send signals to my receptors, commanding them to push past their barriers.

Luckily enough, it worked.

My fingers grasped the mask and I ripped it off with enough force – even under fluids – to snap the claps of the connecting joint, letting the mask float up, taking the tube with it.

The Force gave a tap in the back of my mind and I felt my heart rate start to cool down. The blood was beginning to flow correctly through each and every vein, muscles spasming with the first movement in who knows how long.

Emotions of all sorts rushed through my mind, accompanied by images of the past. The beginning of my adventure that started with Dooku and Ventress. Falling in love. The defeat of Maltus. The death of my parents. Fighting Cultrous. Fighting Wrath. Kane. Cali. Turbo. Jake. Everyone flashed before my eyes as if ghosts of the past. Then, it all ended with the Galaxy Gun. Its destruction. The end of my life.

_I died. _I thought, then realized I couldn't breathe anymore.

I threw my hand forward, palm outward touching the glass. The Force flowed through me, a current of energy and light until it reached my fingertips. My mind was hazy and things were coming back in pieces and fragments, but some of my learned skills were starting to prickle at my senses.

I remembered.

_Shatter Strike. _

With that one thought, the glass shattered at my fingertips, all of the warm liquid swashing around my body, spilling onto the ground and freeing me from whatever confines I'd been put into.

On pure instinct, my feet hit the ground and my knees bent, sending all the kinetic energy into the ground, but I still had to catch myself with my hand on the ground. Then, the world became clear…and it wasn't the world I was expecting.

I looked backward, seeing that the tank I was previously in was a sort of bacta tank but the liquid had been a greenish color instead of light blue. The tubes connected to the mask ran to oxygen takes like I had thought, however, there was a set of tubes that ran from the back of the bacta tank to a set of multicolored containers that were labeled in a different language.

I reached a hand up to my throat and felt the muscles spasm. I dared not to speak just yet, but my thoughts echoed throughout my brain.

_Where the hell am I? How the hell am I even here?_

That was a mystery that if let stew could take the fire out of my system. Now, my body had started to convulse slightly, brain activity trying to regain control of tissue and organ function. It was futile however as I emptied bile and acid from my stomach onto the floor. My eyes burned as tears streamed down from the pain, but the Force calmed my body, soothing the pain until it was a thought in the back of my head.

The temperature of the room was moderate, but I realized fairly quickly that I was in no way clothed. Slowly, I got to my feet, looking at the palms of my hands, flexing them slowly to see how the motions felt.

_My hands. _I thought. _They're real. What is going on?_

A sound made my head turn sharply, my eyes focusing as nearly a decade of battle senses kicked into gear. The door that was adjacent from me on the other side of the room – which I also realized had equipment all but plastered to the sides of the walls, showing readouts of different bodily functions and blood-oxygen levels – slid open.

Inside walked a young Kathar female, a datapad in her hands, covering her vision as it seemed it was a routine visit. Words were already coming out of her mouth when she walked in but they seemed to be directed at me – or the me that was previously floating unconscious in the tank.

"Okay, S-12." She said, swiping on the datapad, "How are we feeling today? It seems that you're actually experiencing some…more…" Her words trailed off as the door slid shut and her eyes refocused, almost bulging out of her furry face.

_S-12? _I thought, feeling my skin bristle. _Subject 12? _

"S-12?!" She whispered to herself mostly as she nearly dropped the datapad, "Y-You're awake!" There was no visible reaction to my state of undress, suggesting something…professional.

I gave a slow nod as I heard something speak in the back of my mind.

**_"…_****_who can you trust?"_**

My mouth turned downward as my instincts started to scream at me. I then realized that her hand was going back to her datapad. With my enhanced foresight, I saw how the situation would play out. A small glimpse into the future was all I needed. She reached for the alarm button.

I threw my hand out, the datapad flying out of her hand and moving her body in front of me, where I held her there with the Force. Her eyes lit up in…what? It wasn't fear. It was surprise.

"Please, S-12. Let me…" She started.

"No." I said for the first time, barely recognizing the gravelly voice that came out. It had been mine, but it sounded like a me that had been worn down by decades of war and suffering, not one that just woke up.

"Y-Y-You can speak." She said, then swallowed and tried to speak again, "My name is Castilia Marnobram and I've been tasked to–"

"I don't care what you've been tasked to do." I said firmly, "Why am I here?"

"I'm not at liberty to divulge that." The Kathar, Castilia Marnobram, said a bit shakily but having the professionalism of someone following orders.

_Whose orders? _I frowned harder, voices again speaking in the back of my head.

**_"_****_We can find another way!"_**

I shook my head, a throb starting to form as I felt the power of the Force start to overtake my senses. As if I didn't release it soon it would rip my body apart.

I gave a grunt, letting power blast all around me, throwing equipment, chairs, and glass all around the room while keeping Castilia in place. Though, the action was difficult.

"Whose orders are you following?" I said, barely more than a whisper.

Castilia didn't respond but she reached her hand out…and the datapad came flying through the air.

_A Force user!_

I intercepted the attempt with a cross of my other hand, interrupting the connection and the datapad flew right past her head, barely missing by a few centimeters. She obviously hadn't anticipated the interception and gave a shocked expression.

Now knowing what I was dealing with – or at least somewhat – I let the Force surround my hand as I gave her a precise neck chop, hitting one of her vital muscle groups, sending enough energy through her to overload her consciousness, plunging her into darkness.

I looked around the room again, this time taking note of the walls. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing special about them. But, on further inspection, it revealed that the walls were coated with a slightly beige material. Off the top of my head, I could only think that it was to protect the room from any inside forces. That had been why some of my projectiles had bounced off the walls, which were, in essence, weaker than the metal protecting the equipment.

I leaned down, taking Castilia's body into my arms and walking behind the bacta tank, leaning her upright against it. Out of sight-out of mind, as the saying went.

But, the situation had become much more complicated. Castilia wasn't behind whatever this was. No, she was just a small cog in the machine that ran outside of the room.

I looked around the room one last time and saw a small rack attached to the wall, holding white lab coats and a single surgical mask. Below the rack, there were a few small cubby spaces to hold extra work gear.

"There has to be more people outside." I said to myself as I walked over to the coat, "Hopefully, they won't recognize that I'm not one of them. I've just go to get out of here." I slipped my arms through the coat arms and tied the sash around my waist. I placed the mask around my face and slipped into someone else's shoes – which were surprisingly comfortable – and gave a sigh, "I wish I had my lightsabers."

That was a good question. There hadn't been a single trace of my lightsabers, not that there had been much search of them. And, obviously, whoever was in charge wouldn't place them within reach of their subject.

Magma flowed through my veins and the Force throbbed again inside my body but I will it to calm. There was a time to release the energy, but right then was the time to make my exit.

I walked back to Castilia's body and looked around her waist, searching for anything that could help. Around her waist hung her security badge. I ripped it off and placed it into the pocket of the coat. As I attempted to stand, my peripheral vision caught sight of something. I peered back at the Kathar and found a small patch of healed scar tissue around the neck area. I touched it gently and felt something rumble underneath gently.

"A tracking chip?" I said in confusion, then realization, "The wound has been healed for quite some time. And, this part of the skin would have to be so carefully taken out. Doesn't look like a slave chip. Those are closer to the esophagus to ensure death if they try to run away. This is for protection. Consent to have it installed I believe as well."

Without risking waking her any longer, I edged over to the door and slide the badge, the metal blockade sliding to the left. I stepped out and peered around. My heart froze for a moment.

The interior of the facility was made of white tile, all sprayed with that strange beige substance for protection. However, there were no windows anywhere to be seen. Not one ray of natural light shone. Everything was artificial.

I turned back to the door and saw a metal nameplate grafted to the middle of the door: _S-12._

I flicked my eyes to the next door over, which was only a few paces down, and read their nameplate. It read: _S-13. _I looked up and down the hallway the doors presided in and saw one on yet, strange but acceptable.

The door slid open and I quickly slipped in. And, low and behold, another bacta tank was in the room. This one, however, did not hold a person. Not a _complete _person anyway. The color of the liquid in the tank was a dark blue and it seemed like the cells around the floating mass were starting to grow at an exponential rate.

There was a screen connected to the tank that swung over to the side. After gaining access, I started to read the current analysis that had finish running apparently a few minutes prior.

The screen read:

_Blood Toxicity levels: normal._

_Oxygen levels: normal_

_Cellular Respiration: standard._

_Cellular Growth: accelerated fixed growth cycle. Refreshing recommended. _

_Clones. _I thought, closing down the readout. "This is a cloning facility." I turned back to the door just as it slid open to reveal another Kathar nurse. It wasn't Castilia, but it momentarily caught me off guard.

The nurse looked up, giving me an inquisitive look, "This room has already been assigned to me. Mistress Salcur has made it very clear that we are to stay in our own zones when dealing with S-12 and S-13. Shifts, remember?" It was then she realized that she was not talking to who she thought she was.

Seeing that the ruse was up for her, I threw my hand forward to shut the door. Surprisingly, she threw her own hand forward, catching me in the chest and slamming me against the tank behind, cracking the class slightly.

Her eyes switched to one of visible worry.

I slipped down onto my feet and realized the crack as a singular focus. I turned back to her, "Your zone, remember?"

She nodded and held her hands out, palms outward. Not a stance of attack but one to placate.

"S-13 needs attention. Please, allow me to check the systems on his rejuvenation tank." The nurse said.

My eyes scanned over her and I realized that her attire, while incredibly similar, was riddled with slightly different colors. At her right side was a key card, but hers had a black star next to the name plate. But, on her left side there was a cylinder hanging by a connector attached to her belt.

_A lightsaber. _I thought in amazement. _They have lightsabers too?! At least some of them do._

Without wasting another second, I reached through the Force and pulled the saber off her belt and it slapped into my palm, where I immediately ignited the blade. The color that sprang forth was a light blue hue.

She took a step forward, the Force swelling around her slightly as she readied for an attack again. This time, however, I was ready.

I threw my stare her way, the Force blasting through my body, shooting an invisible wave of energy in the exact shape as my body at her. The wave hit her dead on and she slumped against the door, conscious but immobile.

I walked closer to her, weighing her blade in my hands, then pointed it at her, "What the hell is this place?"

The Kathar shook her head slightly, her mouth a thin line. Emotions were nonexistent at that moment. She was suppressing everything to become completely and utterly objective to the situation.

In all honesty, it was honorable. But, nonetheless, foolish.

I felt my patience start to wear, "I just woke up in a tank, naked, after thinking I'd already breathed my last breath saving the galaxy. Now, _where am I_?" The last words came out so vehement I almost surprised myself.

The Kathar blinked her eyes, her whiskers twitching, "…S-12?"

"Stop calling me that!" I growled out. "My name is–"

The door opened up, revealing Castilia with another person. This individual was obviously male, but I couldn't tell of what species due to the armor it was wearing. A sort of battle suit with defined edges and sleek armor plating in the same white and black color pattern. In his hand, he held a staff with electricity sparking at both ends.

The game had changed.

I threw my hand forward, blasting him and Castilia off their feet into the wall of the hallway behind him. The guard hit the wall, but he stayed upright, striking at me with the electro-staff in an overhead slash.

I brought the blue blade up to block, but his strike was heavy and it tore through my defense. In a single, swift motion, he struck me across the chest, sending pain through my entire nervous system.

The Force barked in anger and power. I felt my heart rate soar through the roof, reaching the skies above.

As the guard came for another strike, I blocked it successfully this time and drove my fist, cloaked in energy, into his chest, shattering the outer armor plating and sending him to his knees, gasping for breath. There was no time to recover as I leaped on his shoulders, kicking backwards to knock him unconscious while also gaining forward momentum to dash down the opposite end of the hallway.

Alarms and klaxons starting blaring all around me and the throb in my head from the power build up became worse by the second. After a few more seconds of running, it became clear that the facility was far too identical in its design. But, that probably did come in handy if one of their subjects freed themselves and couldn't find out which way was correct.

But, those other subjects most likely didn't have the Force. These captors did. They possessed a connection _and _lightsabers. A mystery in itself.

I rounded a corner, met by two more guards who quickly found themselves without a right and left leg as my blade cleaved through their flesh. I continued to sprint on, ignoring the screams from behind me.

Stun shots suddenly echoed off the walls and I slashed backwards, cutting through a ring of static energy as it nearly collided with my back. More guards were charging up through the hallways, blasters in their hands.

"They're trying to get me again." I breathed out to myself as I blocked several more shots while running forward.

It was a game of cat and mouse. And, I made sure that at least the mouse could fight.

Using the force of my mind, the wall panels behind me bent off their hinges and slammed into three of the guards, smashing them into a pile of broken bones and metal shards. Fatigue started to hit my system in that moment. It was all happening far too quickly.

_Damn it. _I blocked another blast, but this time it came from in front of me. I stopped in my tracks when I saw that twenty guards stood between me and a doorway that looked like the final exit.

I threw my hand backwards, the ceiling collapsing underneath the strength of the blow.

I turned back around to the guards, brandishing my blade, "I really hope there are more. The odds seem a little unfair to you."

The middle two guards took a single step to the left and right respectively. From behind them, a human female walked forward. Her curly red hair reached down to her chest and her eyes shined an emerald green. She wore a red and black dress that was cut about mid-thigh, matching the black gloves on her hands. Around her waist was a small sash with a holo-communicator attached.

But, ever so slightly, there was a black band visible on her thigh when she took a step. I could only assume it held a lightsaber or a blaster pistol.

I felt my stance waver when she stood there, unmoving.

The guards to the left and right of her stood unmoving as well, their weapons still trained on me. I held the blade up a little higher, perspiration starting to lick at my arms and forehead.

The lady in red and black cleared her throat, "Hello, S-12."

I felt the vein on my head fill with blood, "My fucking name isn't S-12. It's Blaze. If one more fucking person calls me S-12, I'm gonna lose my shit."

The woman nodded her head, gesturing for her guards to lower their weapons, to which they did, "Fair enough."

Before she could put in more, I added, "And, you must be this Mistress Salcur I've heard about. I can't say that I didn't expect something else."

"I prefer Claire." Mistress Salcur, or Claire, said, "But, whatever name suits you, Blaze." She held her palms out, "May I ask you to lower your weapon as I've asked my men to lower theirs?"

"No chance."

"Oh come on." She gave a disarming smile, "I'm sure we could both have a civilized discussion."

I stiffened. _Are you serious, lady? _"I woke up in a vat of blue liquid surrounded by people who can use the Force _and _wield lightsabers. We are far past a civilized discussion."

Claire sighed gently, "I was afraid of this."

"Of me waking up?"

"Of you waking up _confused._"

I scoffed, "Well, you're right about that. I _am _confused. But, I've seen what this facility is: a cloning facility. I can only assume that you were attempting to clone me."

I had no basis for that statement. In fact, up to that point, that statement was the _first_ time it had even crossed my mind. I had been so focused on the _how _rather than the _why. _One question explained leading up to while the other one explained the reason for it in the beginning.

Claire's face, however, showed nothing but compassion. As if this was the first time she was talking to me. As if she was talking to a child who had lost his parents while walking around in the marketplace. But, I was no child. And, this was no marketplace.

**_"_****_Patience, Padawan." _**

That voice made me stop and think. Not about who the voice belonged to, but the situation in general.

_Is this the first time she's spoke to me? _I thought, trying to reach out into the Force to gain a foothold on the electrifying current of tension. The Force was silent.

"Or." I started to whisper, my thoughts starting to connect together to form a coherent idea, "Maybe, a different type of experiment."

"Neither." Claire shook her head, then turned to her guards, "There is no danger here. Please, go help those injured."

Without missing a single beat, all the guards behind her left in a hurry, calling medics and assistants as they rushed through the halls. They had a sense of loyalty to their leader that was rarely seen in any division.

She took another step forward and I brandished the blade once again, holding it closer, feeling the hair in front of my face sizzle just a smidge.

"Stay back, woman." I said in a low growl, "I _will_ attack."

"I assumed you already would." Claire said, taking _another _step forward. Two steps more than I would have liked in that instant. "We seem to be making progress."

The throb came back and slammed against my entire body, ripping through my system and banging against my cranium. The pain flashed forward, doubled back, became infinitely worse, then found its breaking point. The single focus point of where it could exit the body without completely destroying it.

But, that nearly ripped my vocal cords out as I let out a feral scream, shattering all the glass and cracking tiles all around me. Pieces of electrical equipment started to tear and split, sparks of blue light blasting out into the air as smoke from small fires added to their effect.

After the energy released, I felt my posture falter and I nearly fell forward, "What the hell is happening to me?!"

Claire had been shielding herself with the Force up till now so no debris hit her. She reached a hand out towards me, "A side effect unfortunately."

"Of what!? What did you do to me?!" I shouted, "I demand to know!"

"Blaze." She said softly, "Lower your weapon. I cannot answer your questions nor help you if you continue to be hostile. I know how the situation looks but I cannot ease your mind until you lower your weapon."

I felt my body start to go into shut down. I pushed it back with pure aggression and pure power. There was no way I would tap out just before I got the answers I wanted.

Or, until I escaped.

I shoved my hand forward, electricity lambasting out of my palm in white streams of lightning. The power behind it was more than I had intended, but the additional release helped ease the pressure that was threatening to send me to darkness.

My blood froze when Claire reached both hands back towards her chest and caught the stream, a blue light glowing as she _absorbed _the energy into her own body. Then, with a twirl, she fired the beam of light back at me with the same amount of strength.

_Reflection?! _I dove forward, blade rising up to strike as the blast soared overhead.

Out from under her dress, a lightsaber ignited to life in Claire's hands, a yellow blade adorning the platinum hilt. I pushed forward with my momentum, sliding the blades against each other, allowing me to slip right past her right side.

I had only taken two steps before I froze, the Force being the culprit. Looking at a piece of broken glass that lay diagonal against the adjacent wall, I saw it was Claire holding me in place.

I grunted roughly and threw my lightsaber backwards, breaking her concentration just enough for me to rip free of her grasp. My feet stumbled for a second, but my balance was restored as I leaped on the wall, shooting from side to side while throwing handfuls of lightning at Claire without looking.

Within seconds, I was at the exit. As I shattered the door with the Force, Claire was nearly upon me.

I turned around and felt the veins covering my body start to bulge and twitch as my anger started to overwhelm me.

_LEAVE ME ALONE! _I screamed in my head as I felt the darkness seep into the pool of power. And, it felt good.

I screamed out loud as I sent the largest blast of Force energy I could muster forward, nearly caving in the entrance of the support beams in the walls. Claire blocked the blast with both sabers and her own shield, but it sent her skidding backwards until she was nearly blown off her own two feet.

That provided the perfect opportunity to run. Then, I remembered. I reached up and touched my neck, feeling the healed scar tissue where they had put _my _chip. There was no pain registered as I ripped into my neck and pulled out the chip, smashing against the wall.

I got to the end of the hallway and a lift awaited me. I swiped my stolen badge but nothing happened. Again, I tried. Again, nothing happened.

I slammed my fist down on the control panel, cracking the glass as the rage started to die down and anger took its place.

"Damn it! Damn it! Work! Work!" I shouted as if it would descend and pick me up. As much as I wished it to be, it didn't work.

Slowly, I turned around. At the end of the hallway, which wasn't that long in comparison with the others, was Claire. Her hair was tousled slightly and she held both blades ignited in her hands.

I held my hands up in defense, thinking back on all the techniques I'd learned. The power, however, was the missing part. Reaching into the tank of the Force, I found I was nearly tapped out. My heart rate was peaking and I felt my vision start to blacken.

Claire deactivated both blade and threw them to the side, rushing forward at me. I tried to summon enough energy to throw at her, but my arms could barely move as is. There was no chance in beating her like that.

**_"_****_Let go." _**

I blinked my eyes and strained all my muscles, crying out in pain as I felt my bones vibrate as power exploded through my hand one last time. I couldn't tell how much power was there, or even if it was substantial. I could only tell it was there.

"Shatter Str–"

I hadn't even finished the moves before Claire caught my hand and reversed the energy to flow back into my body, disappearing. And, with that, I was completely out of options.

Consciousness clung to me like water on a sponge, but my body would not move. I collapsed against the victor of our bout.

Claire cradled my head in her arms and gave me a small smile despite the fight, "Like I said, Blaze. Confused, angry," she cast a small look backward, "prone to a violent outbreak."

"Who _are_ you?" Was all I could utter, my voice hoarse.

Her fingertips trailed down my cheek, "Someone who's only here to help, love."

"Then, let me go." I croaked. "Tell me why I'm here."

She gave another warm smile and reached into the bottom of her dress to reveal and white cloth for dabbing sweat. She wiped my face ever so gently before tucking it away, "I will. But, first, I'm going to put you back under."

As I reared back to tell her it wasn't going to happen, I felt my face swell, then shrink, but the pressure was so immense – yet not painful – that I let the darkness finally consume me.

My last thought was, strangely enough:

_Let go of what?_


	4. Chapter 3: Cataclysmic Intervention

**Thank you all to those who have viewed my third installment and I truly hope that you enjoy the rest of the book because it has been a joy to write it. I went through several iterations of how I wanted the story to progress, but I think I've come up with a way that allows the story to run smoothly, fill gaps, and show how different this timeline - the one I affectionately call the Blaze Route Timeline - differs from the one seen in the regular continuity. **

**Now, I have gotten questions about some things considering what I consider to be canon. I grew up reading the books alongside watching the movies, so when Disney bought Star Wars and stuck a big sticker on my books that said LEGENDS, you can guess how unenthusiastic I was about it. So, my story deals mostly with the characters from the LEGENDS timeline. However, I have included DISNEY CANON characters such as Caleb Dume, Hera Syndula, etc. because the man on the front of that team was Dave Filoni, a mastermind of how Star Wars SHOULD work. So, in my mind, I think he created those characters BEFORE Disney bought Star Wars, so I can use them in my stories. But, for the most part, the characters, both main and secondary and background, are from the LEGENDS timeline. But, again, you can see where the path deviates, especially since AGFAJ I: Legend Comes Alive. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3:

**Cataclysmic Intervention**

**_"_****_And, so, the deal is done."_**

Slowly, I came back to my senses, my eyes blinking a few times before waking fully. I was sitting on a leather couch in a cozy, almost rustic room. There were bookcases and dressers all around the room, diverting attention from the décor that hung on the walls.

After a quick scan of the room, I focused my attention forward, seeing Claire sitting in the chair adjacent to me, on the other side of the small caf table in front of us. In her hand, she held a porcelain cup full of a steaming liquid. She brought the cup to her lips, sipped it softly, then caught my eye.

Without a word, she gestured to look down. I did so and found an identical cup waiting on the table. My throat tightened at the sight of a drink.

I nodded and picked up the cup, looking at the translucent brown liquid swashing around. With a silent prayer to the Force, I took a drink. The liquid coated my throat and gave me a strangely nice but painful reprieve. I felt it hit my stomach and send a chill through my body.

But, it was delicious.

"Thank you." I said softly, taking another sip.

Claire gave a smile, "Of course. I would think that you'd be parched after such a feat."

Remembering the previous conflict, I felt my face flush, "My apologies."

"No worries." She said, then gestured to the cup, "Ola tea. It should help relax your body, letting the Force interact with it much more smoothly."

_Straight down to it, huh? Good. _I nodded, taking another sip and stretching out with the Force, feeling the tension start to ebb and fade. The chaotic wind that seemed to be stirring beneath my skin had calmed, becoming a low purr.

"Again, thanks." I said, placing the cup down, most of it gone now. I cleared my throat and began again, "So, you said I'd get answers. Let's get to talking."

Claire gave a single nod and put down her own cup, then crossed one leg over the other, slightly raising her dress in the process. She placed a hand on her leg as she gave me an interested stare, "I did say that. So, please, after you."

"Where am I?" I said flatly.

Claire's smile wavered only slightly, "You are in a medical facility that I have affectionately labeled as the Kraber."

My mouth neither frowned nor did it smile, "What planet?"

Claire gave a sideways glance, then refocused, "I would tell you, but this _is _the first conversation that we've had. I would rather learn more about you before I let you in on where our facility is based. I'm sure you understand that much."

"No." I said, this time frowning. "While I get it that you're trying to protect your people and your facility, I can't respect that. Either tell me, or I'm gonna try to leave again."

Claire didn't flinch. She didn't even move. I reached into the Force to peer at her aura, and found that she resonated with wisdom and understanding, but she also held great compassion.

I didn't let her answer. Instead, I moved onto the bigger question, "If you won't answer that one right now, then let's try this one: how did I get here?"

This time, Claire _did _react. Her eyes turned slightly sad as she looked as if she was remembering something that had happened…a lifetime ago.

"Ah, yes. I can answer that one." She said. "While returning from a routine trip for supplies, one of my pilots noticed a small crater that lay three clicks out from the entrance to our facility. We investigated immediately, and there you were. But…" She trailed off for a moment, then regained her composure.

An icy cold started to set over my heart, "Continue."

She closed her eyes, "You were curled up into a half circle, your arms protecting your face, but also clenched. Your legs, however, were gone."

_What? _I blinked my eyes, then looked at my legs. _Are these…artificial?_

Claire continued, "Your body was in tatters. You had lost most of your blood and I had thought you dead. But, when I saw what was clenched in your fists, I realized that you were still clinging to life. I took you back here where I set every doctor and specialist within my arsenal to repairing you."

There was something else, I sensed. I could feel the hesitation in her voice. As if, she had left something out. Or, was about to in that moment.

Thinking ahead, I said, "Were you successful? I mean, I'm alive." It was the first time I had said it aloud. Then, it changed. The question, "Wait. What was in my hands?"

Claire's eyes changed to one of mystery and discovery. She slowly slipped on one of her gloves and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small, blue crystal that sparkled in the light.

Immediately, I felt the Force pull at me, the crystal starting to float in her hand. It spun in circles before flinging itself at me. Instinctively, I reached out my hand and grabbed the crystal, feeling the familiar essence flow through my body.

"My kyber." I whispered, my eyes tearing slightly, "I was holding onto my kyber? Then, where's my lightsabers? I had two."

"I only recovered the one crystal." Claire said gently, taking off her glove and seeming to…stare. She stared at my hands as if they were something else: a wondrous, foreign object, "If I may ask, do you know _what _you are holding?"

I looked up, the tears fading away into my eyes as my mind refocused, "It's a kyber crystal. Obviously."

Claire shook her head and pointed to my hand, "That is no mere crystal, Blaze. That is a Kyber Shard."

My brain pulsed once and I saw the bridge of the Galaxy Gun once again. I was facing Vader as he pressed the activation switch that powered up the super laser.

_"__It is a shame that you die here, Marko. But, at least, I'll be ever closer to achieving what Wrath wanted. What needs to be done. They will be mine."_

At that time, I hadn't even focused on what he was saying. I had heard the words, but now they felt like they were said in a different time. One that had long since passed and been swept away by the sea of my own blood.

"Kyber Shard?"

Claire nodded and continued while leaning back in her chair, "Kyber Shards are the hearts of the first Kyber Comets that struck five planets millions of years ago. They have the potential to unlock powers of the Force that no other artifact can."

"Is it because the kyber is a living thing?" I asked.

"Yes." Claire said. "The Kyber Shards can connect to the Force unlike anything else in existence. For many years, I thought they were a legend. A myth."

"This is the first I've heard about it." I frowned at my hand, feeling the Force tip the back of my consciousness as another voice hit my brain.

**_"_****_Mastery…true mastery…"_**

"That does not surprise me." Claire said, "The only recorded instances of their existence were written in one of the Whills journals."

I snapped my head at her, my heart flipping inside of my chest. _Those journals…those are the same ones that Qui-Gon read. If I remember correctly, Qui-Gon trained with the Whills in order to preserve his consciousness after death. That's how he was able to talk to me all those years. But, did he know about these?_

My memories came back to slap my vision across the sight lines. I recalled a single piece of dialogue that Wrath had said when we had first been captured on the Galaxy Gun. Again, at first, I had dismissed it because _this _was common knowledge about the super weapon.

He had said: _"With the power of the kyber, I'll finally be done with the hypocrisy of the Jedi. At last, there will be true piece. Vapaad was only the first step to enlightenment. Now, my eyes are open and this station will begin the cleansing."_

I passed the crystal between my fingers, "I had no idea." I said more to myself than anything.

I felt Claire's gaze when she spoke next, "How did you come about it?"

I thought back, remembering all the events, "Originally, I was given two lightsabers when I joined the Jedi Order."

"Ah." Claire made a noise, "You are a Jedi then?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. It took a handful of seconds to respond, "Yes."

"You don't sound sure."

"I've been through a lot." I almost snapped, "My answers won't be immediate."

Claire bowed her head slightly, "My apologies. Continue when you are ready."

I took a deep breath and held her gaze this time, "When I joined the Order, I was given two lightsabers. A year into the Clone Wars, I crafted my own, created from a fragment I found on Naboo and I put away my two sabers. Eventually, I lost that lightsaber in a duel and went back to my previous two. After the end of the war, I melded the two crystals together and this formed. Is it possible that this Kyber Shard was spilt?"

Claire held a hand up to her chin in thought, "Anything is possible. However, the only way to do something like that would be use _another _shard to split it."

"Then, why did she have them?" I asked myself, remembering Ahsoka handing me the lightsabers onboard the shuttle.

_Ahsoka._

I couldn't help the tears that flowed this time around. They welled up so fast I wondered if I had willed them to exist in the first place. They streamed down my face and my breath hitched in my throat as I remembered the last time I had seen my beloved.

Her hand had been pressed against the glass as Kane held her back from activating the door controls of the escape pod. She wanted to be there with me at the end, but I couldn't let that happen with her being…pregnant.

_"__Please! Don't! We can stop it together! BLAZE! JAMES!"_

My name. My real name. The name I had been born with. The name that _was _who I am. The boy that had been ripped from his home – his planet – to go on an adventure that had once been mere fiction. He had to rise up to the challenge and become the most powerful being in the galaxy to end a war that masters and knights and armies could not defeat. He had to overcome an evil so vast that it threatened to blot out the stars and cover the universe in a blanket made of the Dark Side, fueled by death and terror for decades to come.

And, in that penultimate moment, I had chosen to be selfless and to lay down my own life so that others could live. My brother. My best friend. My team. My master. My fiancé. My _children. _Death was already knocking at the door of my consciousness, telling me to close my eyes and accept the end. That I had done all I could do.

But, I hadn't done that. I still had fight. So, bleeding and broken all over, I fought until I defeated my foe: Vader. One that I thought I had stopped. Yet, he still arrived. Not by conventional methods, but he had been created once again. And, Anakin was defeated. It had been up to me.

And, the galaxy was saved.

I had died.

The story was finished.

The circle was finally complete.

I looked up at Claire, her gaze one of compassion and sympathy. She looked as if she was about to leap over to hold my head in her arms again, to offer warmth and comfort that of a caregiver.

I held a hand out to her to stop her, then lowered said hand and let her approach. She sat on the couch and enveloped me in a hug. She laid my head on her chest and rubbed her hands through my hair, the familiar twang of peace trying to wash away the pain and sadness. But, the tears were also those of joy. Joy that the circle had not been completed yet.

After a full minute, I regained some of my composure and sat back up. Claire reached a hand forward and wiped away the tears on my cheeks, her smile small but comforting.

"Were those tears for Ahsoka?" Claire said softly.

"How did you know?"

She tapped her head, "Your thoughts project. While you were in the tank, that name was the only thing I could hear from your thoughts. Who is she?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath to center myself, "She is the Jedi that I fell in love with when I first joined the Order. We've been through countless battles together and have shared a life – a real life – together."

"And, where was she when you fell?"

"She was there." I said, then fell back into my memories, "There was another war. The Shadow War."

"I am acquainted with it."

"Then, you know that it was a surprise attack on the entire galaxy and it was a crippling blow to the Republic and the Jedi." I explained, "But, as all wars, it reached a boiling point. The Shadow Brigade had created a super weapon called the Galaxy Gun, capable of destroying an entire system in the blink of an eye if charged to its full capacity. The final duel happened on that station."

Claire laid a hand on my shoulder, "And, she was there?"

"Not in the beginning." I continued. "It was a small squad of Jedi led by me. I had hoped that my knowledge of how the weapon's layout was I could get in, kill the leaders, and get out while destroying the station in the process. Things did not go according to plan. In the end, the team split up and one half was in charge of planting explosives while the other was in charge of ending the leader: Wrath." I sighed deeply, remembering the twist.

"But, he was not the true leader, was he?" Claire asked.

I shook my head, "No. After Anakin and I killed Wrath – with Anakin being gravely injured and unconscious –, the real brains behind the operation came forth: an exact clone of myself." I felt shock through the Force and I nodded my head, "I know. I felt the same. I felt even more shocked when the clone – called Kane – suggested that he had fulfilled his directive: to start a war and see if he could win. And, now that his directive was finished he could make his own choices in the matter. He suggested a truce."

"That explains the truce that occurred on Chandrila." Claire said. "Galactic affairs never pass by our notice, and you can imagine how many patients we had across the galaxy."

"Yeah." I sighed, "But, it only got worse from there. As we were about to shake hands, Anakin got back up, but his eyes were yellow and he struck at both of us. He had been brainwashed when we were captured earlier on the mission, unbeknownst to us. The worst part was that it would only activate if Wrath was killed. As if he planned to die all along, knowing that only Anakin had the power to destroy us."

"That is either a terrible gamble…or he saw a possible future and went with his instincts." Claire hummed more to herself than to me.

"We defended ourselves as best as we could, but I was pretty beat up and Anakin's potential released itself and he used the Dark Side to beat us down. That's when I saw a fleet of a two hundred Republic Venator-starships blast out of hyperspace and engage the entire Shadow Brigade fleet in a battle so massive that I could barely see the stars anymore. That's when Ahsoka showed up, joining our fight just as Anakin – now named Vader – came to finish me off." I clenched my fists in abject anger, "She threw herself into the fray and we were gaining ground before Vader threw rebar through my body, impaling me through the shoulder and the ribs. Nonetheless, Ahsoka jumped in and tried to help, but I had to get her away. She _had _to survive."

Claire gave a slow nod, understanding, "And, Ahsoka was pregnant. You couldn't let her die while she carried your children. So, you made the hard decision."

I nodded, my heart sinking as memories flashed again before my eyes.

_"__WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"_

"But, what of Anakin?"

"Anakin was being controlled by the Dark Influence, a device capable of created a second consciousness over the original person and causing them to become a passenger as the dark personality controls the body. I knew Anakin was still in there, so I gathered the rest of my strength and ripped the two entities apart. Kane caught Anakin and threw him into his emergency escape pod. Then," I took a deep breath, "I told Kane through the Force what had to be done. Despite everything, he looked sad. But, he complied. He reached through the Force and took Ahsoka's crystals, then grabbed her with the Force and put her inside the pod, yelling what needed to be done. She fought him, but he got her in the pod and as she tried to rip away, Vader came to finish me. The last thing I heard from her was that we could find another way."

"But, there was no other way." Claire whispered, her heavy heart visible on her sleeve. "All other outcomes ended in unnecessary bloodshed."

"My blood was the only one that needed to be spilled." I said firmly. "Then, Vader activated the super laser. As the time ticked down, I trusted in the Force and ripped the rebar out of my body and picked up my lightsabers once more and fought until we both were on the verge of death. But, he slipped up. He stabbed his blade into my shoulder and that gave me the opportunity for me to ram my sabers through his chest, killing him. Ten second remained and I knew that it was over. So, as I watched my life flash before my eyes, I ignited the explosives on the lower levels and…now I'm here."

Claire nodded, then gave my shoulder a squeeze, "I'm sorry, Blaze. I can only offer that and the chance to get back into the fray. You still live."

A question popped into my mind, "How long have I been here?"

"Today marks the second year." Claire said, "Some time has passed I'm afraid."

My heart sunk. _Two years? Everyone thinks I'm dead and it's already been two years. _

"Could be worse." I whispered under my breath. "Could've been twenty."

"Agreed." Claire said, reaching to the table and picking up her cup and my cup and handing me mine, "Here."

I sipped it and then spoke, "Do you have the materials to build another lightsaber?"

Claire nodded, "Yes. I can have them brought to your quarters."

"Then, I can leave?" I asked.

"After I arrange some tests, you may go. Your body may need to rest a bit so that the Force can properly flow through it once again." Claire smiled, drinking more of her tea, "Then, I will give you whatever you need to get back to where you are destined to be, Blaze."

I couldn't help the warmth my heart felt in that moment, and the shame that followed. This random woman – who had no prior knowledge of who I was or what I was – had come to my aid two years ago and saved me when no one else in the galaxy, that being a random bystander, would.

I bowed my head slightly, "Thank you, Claire. For everything. I am very sorry for all the damage I caused to your facility and even your staff."

Claire's free hand came up from my shoulder to cup my cheek, "No apology is necessary, Jedi Knight. I only hope that this encounter bears fruit for the future."

I smiled back, "I'm sure it will."

* * *

The tests performed were simple and quick, but the last one took over half an hour to complete, but it was quite necessary. But, during the tests, I fell into a deep meditation while I assembled another lightsaber with my crystal.

_The Kyber Shard. _

It still shook me to believe that the crystal that I had carried with me throughout my entire Jedi carrier was one of five kyber cores that the first comets containing millions of years prior. But, I hadn't received any of the powers that Claire had described.

"But." I said, my brain cogs turning quicker, "I _did _master Force abilities in weeks which took others decades to master."

Claire hadn't said much about the Kyber Shards, but she had explained that each one gave the user almost instant access to that aspect of the Force. However, as it turned out, she might have missed something in the explanation. Something she might not have known.

Or, something she elected_ not_ to tell.

Regardless, the missing piece of the puzzle was: they might need a catalyst to completely unlock. It might have been that because of my close proximity, the Kyber Shard allowed me to absorb and learn _faster _than others. Knowing about a technique didn't mean you knew it, but with the shard maybe that's _exactly _what it meant.

I opened my eyes and my new lightsaber floated in front of me. A sleek design in its own right, but it looked like a cross between an Imperial Knight lightsaber and Obi Wan's first saber. Regardless, it was complete. But, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the darksaber.

It had been there at the end, though it had fallen to the ground with my blue blade. Yet, the crystal to the blue lightsaber was clasped in my hand and not the darksaber.

The Kathar nurse moved from the other side of the room finally and came to give me the results. All in all, I would be fine, but I would need to be careful not to exert myself too much for the next forty-eight hours. I agreed and she left me to my own devices.

Luckily enough, Claire had the nurses drop off a new set of clothes because mine were gone. First and foremost, I spiked up my hair to my trademark style and grinned. I slipped on the light brown tunic and pants before tying the sash around my waist and attaching the belt clip to it. I plucked the lightsaber out of the air and attached it to my belt as I pulled on my socks and boots.

Then, I reached into the Force to let it flow through me…but something else answered. The light fleeted away as the Dark Side seeped into my senses like an indiscrete fog flooding a stagnant swamp.

Immediately, I was on my feet, my new lightsaber in my hand, unignited. I reached back out one last time to confirm my suspicions. Sure enough, the feeling again lashed out at me and I felt a sensation: evil intent.

I threw open the door to my room and looked directly ahead, seeing Claire talking to a nurse. Her face contorted just as she turned, the sense hitting her as well.

"Claire!"

She gave a sharp nod before raising her wrist to her mouth, "Tylon! Something is incoming! Give me a readout!"

I dashed towards her as the communication came through.

_"__Mistress. There are three Gozanti-class class cruisers and three dozen smaller starfighters coming into the atmosphere! They passed through one of our bio-scanners attached to the satellite in orbit. There are at least two hundred individuals of all different species! ETA: three minutes." _

Claire looked at me as she talked, "How can they know our position?"

_"__I don't know, ma'am. They shouldn't be able to find this facility, yet they are on a direct course!"_

Claire gave a groan of irritation, "Acknowledged!" She tapped a few more times on her wrist and her entire outfit transformed. For a moment, she was completely bare and I almost closed my eyes. However, it was the transformation that made me keep my eyes glued to her. Her red dress melted away into her wrist as another suit materialized around her. It was now a near skin tight battle suit that had rivets and edges to allow maximum flexibility. Her belt came out of thin air as she threw her lightsaber from hand to hand. Even her boots came into existence from nowhere.

"That's handy." I said, "And, it looks durable."

"Let's get these guys out of here and I'll give you one." Claire smirked.

Then, her comlink crackled to life again, _"INCOMING ATTACK PODS!"_

Mere seconds after the alert came through, the ceiling down the far hallway split open, an explosion rocking down the hallway as a metal cone split open, species of all sorts spilling out of the pod, blasters in their hands. Claire's guards spilled out of the nearby hallways and they engaged in a firefight.

I ignited my lightsaber as a bolt flew past my cheek, only missing me by an inch. For one who had spent years fighting those guns, I knew what would hit and what wouldn't. The next few bolts, however, I did deflect, sending them into the walls where they disappeared, no burn to be held.

"The blast plating." Claire said, deflecting bolts herself, "Absorbing kinetic energy to disperse it at an accelerated rate."

I nodded before feeling another pod slam into the facility. I flashed around to see another pod open up, letting loose more enemies. Then, three black robed figures with weapon sashes took the charge. Each of them reached behind and pulled out a cylinder, letting a crimson blade spring forth.

"Damnit." I muttered to myself. _Not Sith. _

I reached into the Force and felt the Dark Side slam into my senses. A familiar presence was near.

I threw my head back at Claire, "Hey. Might need your help."

Claire turned around and saw what lay before us. She cleared her throat as the blasting came to a halt.

She brandished her blade, "Your presence is unwelcome! Leave now or face the consequences."

The robed figures looked at each other before they nodded individually. Then, they charged, breaking out into a dash.

I smirked, "I didn't think I'd fight this early, but hey, let the fun begin."

"Don't let them through."

"I didn't plan on it."

_Let's rock._

It may have been two years since my body had physically been involved in a fight, but my mind remembered everything. The adrenaline in my system kicked in and I let the Force flow along with it. The cool energy filled my entire being, sending waves of power through my veins.

The first hooded figure struck, his blade above his head and swinging downward.

**_Double Vision_**_: the strike would slash through my right shoulder and cleave through my chest, splitting me in two pieces._

With that little bit of foresight, I adjusted my stance as the scarlet blade slam downward. I ducked out of the way, bringing my own blade upward, cutting through both of the person's wrists. With the left-over momentum, I stopped the blade at neck level and drove it to the right, decapitating the assailant.

The next one was attacking now, driving his blade forward to strike at my exposed left side. Claire dove in, blocking the thrust and parrying accordingly, pushing the robed figure backwards as the third attacker took his shot at Claire. I deflected his strike and threw him back with the Force, his body flying well behind his foot soldiers. Slowly, he rose to his feet and stabbed his blade forward, "ATTACK!"

I bent my knees slightly and reached deep into the well of power I had become well accustomed to. The energy swelled within my chest before spreading to my arms, then it concentrated in my palms.

Lightning crackled between my fingertips for several seconds before I sent it forward, palms outward. The streams of white, hot energy screamed through the air, knocking out lights and short circuiting electrical outlets all around the hall until they reached their target. Each soldier was engulfed by the storm, turning their brown battle suits into hunks of black char. The red sabered foe, however, brought his blade up to defend against the storm and managed to keep it at a standstill.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Claire leap over a bisection-slash and carve her opponent from cranium to pelvis. The two halves split and she immediately joined by my side, saber down towards the ground. She wiped away a drop of blood that landed on her cheek and she gave a grin.

"Still need that help?"

I chuckled in spite of the situation, "Not really. He's the last one."

"Oh, if only that were the case."

_That voice…_

Slowly, I turned around to face where the other soldiers were, only to see that all of Claire's men were down on the ground, limbs slashed and heads rolling away from once bright lives. Ahead of me stood three more robed figures, but the one in the middle was the one who was talking.

Claire was about to respond when her comlink went off, _"Levels two through seven under attack! Security personnel and warriors dispatched to all levels!" _Then, she looked down at the last kill and I followed her gaze to an emblem, a half circle that seemed to be gold with a black background, all encircled by a silver sphere.

"Dusk." Claire growled.

"What are the Dusk?" I asked, my focus now on the middle dark robed figure, the Force screaming in the back of my mind.

Instead of Claire answering, the middle man did. His voice was low, "The Dusk is the organization that will bring about the order the galaxy deserves." Then, he chuckled, "I must say, I am surprised to say the least. I had heard you perished, Blaze Marko." He removed his hood.

I involuntarily took a step back as the old horned adversary made himself known.

Claire tossed me a glance, "What?"

Then, the anger set in. I grit my teeth and hardened my eyes, "You never learn, Maul."

The red skinned, black tattooed Zabrak former Sith Lord gazed at me with a look of incredulity, "Did you honestly think that after our last duel I would simply fade into death's embrace?"

"I thought that you would have known by now that you can't stop what is supposed to happen." I ground out, my voice raising to a shout, "You will _always _lose, shithead!"

Maul's yellow eyes blazed with a new fire and he reached behind his back and pulled out a rectangular item.

"The darksaber!" I exclaimed, "How the hell did you get that?!"

Maul smirked, "By the Dark Side's grace, I found this floating in space near Raxus Prime. Oh, some near two years ago. Sound familiar?" Then her looked at Claire, "But, he doesn't know, does he?"

"Know what, monster?" Claire retorted fiercely, but I felt something within her shift through the Force.

Maul bared his teeth, "Witch! You know very well from the Journal of the Whills! The darksaber itself is the key to unlock the Holocron of Fate!" He must've saw the confused look on my face because he continued, this time directed back at me, "Ah, so, you don't know. Well, whoever created this darksaber knew that it needed to be created from phrik in order to withstand the power of the Kyber Shard inside. The Dark Side flows through this crystal at a rate unprecedented. And, now, I've been able to harness it. But, that power amplifies with the Holocron of Fate."

Claire took a step forward, "You'll never get your hands on it."

Maul chuckled and clutched the darksaber tighter, his eyes shifting from golden to red.

I felt the intent and I clutched my own saber and kicked my leg out, pushing Claire to the side of the wall just as Maul literally disappeared and reappeared in front of where she was a fraction of a second prior, the darksaber ignited and pressed forward, striking air.

Maul turned his gaze to me, his eyes sparking as he reignited his red saber and dove.

Gathering lightning in my hands, I pushed outward, blasting him and myself away from each other. But, Maul was on me in an instant, a new power emanating from him. A dark presence that messed with the ebb and flow of the universe. He had become a center of absolute power. Of Darkness incarnate.

I parried his next two strikes, but failed to completely block the third one and he brushed past my right side, the tip of the darksaber cutting into my upper arm, cauterizing the wound almost instantly. A few drops of blood leaked out, but the pain was nothing new. I had experienced worse, and my body knew it.

Except, it was different this time.

What would have been a normal injury from a lightsaber turned out to sear and burn with an unknown surge of pain.

Claire reached a hand out, "Blaze!"

I held a hand to stop her, "No!" I reached out and felt the injury, specifically what lay beneath the surface, beneath the epithelial layer.

The injury was only minor, but it was the dark energy that had been pushed into the blade that changed the effect. Instead of cauterizing to a black color, it turned a greenish yellow.

Maul chuckled, "Still so easily broken."

I grimaced, then smirked back at him, causing his face to scrunch up in confusion.

Again, I reached deeply into the Force. This time, however, I tore between the lines. Maul immediately felt what I was putting out.

He placed his right foot backward, "I can feel it. You've touched the Dark Side, Marko."

The monster beneath deep within my soul screamed out in abject agony. It was as if it had been repressed for so long that it had been eating away at its own constraints. The constraints being my very being.

I felt the nerves across my body flare up as I dipped into the pool. A dive that I knew could end in absolute darkness. Especially since it had been two years and my powers were just now waking up fully.

But, I found, in that moment, it didn't matter. It didn't matter if the beast was going to come out. Memories of Mandalore flashed in front of my eyes for a brief instant, Cultrous melting in a pool of dark goo. The power that coursed through my veins. The Dark Side's power. Absolute power.

Necessary power.

For _that _moment. Just as it was necessary for _this_ moment.

"I haven't just touched the dark." I growled out, meeting his eyes and seeing my own reflection in his. My right eye had turned yellow and I felt the Dark Side course through my entire physical form, right down to the cellular levels, causing them to multiply, die out, and multiply again.

As the overflow reached the peak and I readied to strike, my entire body exploded in a concourse of unbelievable pain. Every muscle started to seize and my blood vessels threatened to burst from my very arms, my veins extended grossly now.

I hadn't even realized that I was attempting to push far past the limit until it had been too late. My eyes, once again, met Maul's, and his concerned look transformed into one of visible relief and triumph.

I willed my arm to come up to defend against his next strike, and it did, but the force behind the blow was so strong it shot me directly into Claire's path. She caught my body and laid me against the wall, reaching into my very being and sending a wave of healing energy through, the muscles starting to loosen but the pain still remaining for now.

Then, Maul charged.

Claire was up in an instant, pulling my saber to her hand and locking both blades with Maul's. He swung high and low at the same time, going for a bi-sectoral finisher. However, the woman who had saved my life years ago parried the two attacks easily, driving her foot forward into his chest as well as deflecting the next strike from the remaining hooded man.

The ceiling started to crack even farther above our heads and the lights started to blink in and out. There wasn't enough time to have a prolonged fight.

I closed my eyes. _If there was any time where you could give me just enough energy to make this even, Force, I would be really, really grateful._

**_"…_****_anger…fear…aggression…a…Chosen…few."_**

A millisecond later, I was on my feet, not by my own choosing, but I quickly realized that it was the will of the Force at this point. Claire had sent the quickest glance I'd ever seen backwards while pulling my lightsaber back as if she was going for a strike from the right side, but I saw her fingers loosen.

Reaching out, the lightsaber flew to my hand and I cut down the last hooded, red-sabered assailant besides Maul, his body splitting open from trap to rib, his heart visible between the two halves.

A piece of the ceiling fell and I threw my hand up to stop the fall. Then, another piece fell, then another. The upper layer had started to completely collapse. I opened my mouth to warn Claire, but she was far too engaged in her fight with Maul.

It was amazing.

Maul was nearly blinking in and out of reality at times, but she was countering with almost as much speed. Her muscles flexed and relaxed with each second between blows and I felt extreme calmness and power radiate through her. Her golden blade was fending off both his red and black blades simultaneously, as if she was wielding _three _sabers, because her attacks were slowly getting through.

In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder _how _Maul was even here. My last encounter with him was his last-ditch attack on the Jedi Temple after the Battle of Coruscant. I had tapped into a new understanding of the Force and pushed him off the Spire of Knowledge, where he fell onto a speeder and flew away. If it had been that simple, I wouldn't have been surprised.

But, in that moment of power, I had pushed him so hard I felt organs nearly rupture and bones shatter beneath the blow. It was the first time I had used, though unconsciously, Shatter Strike. Those injuries, coupled with already his cybernetic legs, should have been enough to kill him with a little time. There was nothing in his vicinity, or time limit, that could have stopped him from dying.

Yet, there he was. In fact, I realized then, he was much more muscular and his horns had grown slightly, almost resembling his brother's horns. Savage Oppress had been tainted with Nightsister magick, resulting in the accelerated growth of his horns.

_Is that what happened? _I asked myself as Claire and Maul tore away at each other. _Did Maul make it to Dathomir and heal his injuries with Dark Side magick?_

The thought quickly died away when Maul blinked out and reappeared in front of me, his bladed reared back to stab through my chest. I tensed, readying myself for a counter-attack through the power of my mind. Claire appeared a second before the attack was ready and she grabbed Maul's arm, slinging him backwards with a shout of intense effort, sweat starting to drip from her flawless forehead.

"How you holding up?" Claire asked.

I grunted as the ceiling continued to buckle and I poured more energy into keeping it up, "Hanging in there. I really should have listened to that nurse. She said to keep away from using too much power for two days, and here I am holding a building up." My veins started to fill with blood again. "I can't keep this up for long." Maul got back up and growled. "But, we can't stop fighting him."

Claire grunted, "If you can keep that up then I can handle him, even if he _is _using a Kyber Shard."

I looked at the darksaber in his hands and remembered his words. _"Witch! The darksaber is the key to unlocking the Holocron of Fate!"_

"He wants this holocron." I whispered, "Where is it?"

"Hidden."

Maul's comlink chimed, _"Supreme Lord Maul, we have found the holocron but it is incased in Kortanium. There is no way to penetrate the box!"_

Kortanium was the hardest material in the entire Star Wars universe. It was almost never used due to its rarity and only the ancient Sith were said to have had limited access to the natural ore for their Sith swords, which they would imbue with Dark Side magick.

"Fuck." I muttered. "So much for hidden."

I saw Claire roll her eyes, then her expression darkened, "They can't get in that box."

Maul raised his eye from his comlink and grinned, "Oh, what a turn of events. It seems that I shall be in need of assistance to reach my goal and _you _are the one to do it."

**_Double Vision:_**_Maul would throw his hands forward, blue lightning springing forth to overthrow Claire in a surprise attack, leaving her defenseless for a non-lethal blow that would let her be…_

I threw a single hand forward, white lightning springing out just in time to meet his blue lightning. Claire, like the foresight foretold, was caught unaware for the first few seconds. But, that was all she needed to throw her hands forward, adding to the stream struggle.

"I've waited far too long for a chance like this!" Maul shouted, "I will not let a _dead man _stand between me and my goals! I've lost my mother, my brother, and the Sith took away EVERYTHING! You will _not _stop me!"

Then, Maul let loose a surge of power that completely overwhelmed our combined efforts. At the last possible second, Claire opened up her hands and absorbed the energy before it came into direct contact with our bodies. The over surge of power was enough to cause her to direct the blast back, but it flew directly past Maul's right cheek, melting the wall and the subsequent next seven rooms behind him.

Claire fell to her knees and I felt my veins start to flood over now. Any moment, my body was going to collapse.

Maul walked up to Claire and deactivated his lightsabers, curling his hand and holding her in the air, making me listen to the sound of her choking, gasping for air. I glared, putting power into the glance and an invisible wall of energy slammed into Maul's face…only for it to fail completely.

But, he noticed the attempt.

Maul punched his arm forward directly into my stomach, making me double down to my knees while still barely managing to keep my arms up, dust and small pebbles starting to rain down on our heads.

"I will take that as my cue to leave." Maul said, pulling Claire with him through the air. As he reached the hole he came to, he stopped and turned around.

"I want you to know that I _am _glad you survived." He reached his free hand out at me, "It means that burying you alive will be so much more rewarding. Everything you've been through, and it was _me _who snuffed you out for good."

The Force push that ensued was deafening. Glass shattered and lights exploded as sparks and shards ripped through the air and across my body, making me finally lose my concentration and the levels above me came crashing down on my head.

Then, blackness.

Then, awakening.

Then, the dark started to creep again.

Before it consumed me again, I reached deep into the Force once again and released my energy outwards. Then, I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath, finding a sort of peace. But, the rubble was far too heavy and I felt the pressure building and building until…

**_"_****_Hear me."_**

_"__I hear you!"_

The Force exploded.


	5. Chapter 4: The Former and the Latter

**So, this one is a bit shorter than normal due to the fact that in the years since I started writing I realized something. Sometimes, I was creating these chapters with bits of information or paragraphs that held no weight and, when I read it back, it kinda bored me. So, I've come to the understanding that just because a chapter is short doesn't mean it doesn't have substance. This chapter is about 2,600 words long when my regular chapters fall between 3,500 - 7,000. But, this is a very important chapter and you should pay close attention to the phrases and callbacks! **

**For all those who still have been reading over four years, thank you so much! And, I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions, PM me and I'll be happy to answer them!**

* * *

Chapter 4:

**The Former and the Latter**

The _Beast _exited hyperspace exactly on schedule, showing the forest-covered world of Kashyyyk. The home world of the Wookiees. A _Republic _aligned world. Therefore, it came as a surprise to Ahsoka and Rex that the secret facility that Kane was so _adamant _about not being found out about lay there.

Kashyyyk had been the sight of a single battle during the Clone Wars, but that was the only one that the lush world needed to be a part of. Soon after, Blaze and Obi Wan shut down the droid foundries from Mustafar, where the entire Separatist Council waited for help from Maltus, only for most of them to meet their ends. All except Wat Tambour and Poggle the Lesser.

Ahsoka remembered that she herself had been on Kashyyyk once before. It felt like so long ago she had almost forgotten about the whole ordeal. Yet, how could she? She had been game for Trandoshin slavers that found their fun in hunting live prey, no matter the species. In the end, she and the group of missing Padawans she had run into had been able to hold off the slavers until they received help from Chewbacca and Captain Tarfull.

And, now, there was this facility.

It begged the question in her mind: what other secrets lied on all the _other _worlds she had been to.

She took a deep breath and released her thoughts into the Force.

Rex saw the look on her face as she took that breath and he nudged her with his elbow, "Hey, don't pass out on me now. We're here."

Ahsoka smiled, "I know, Rex. I was just thinking about the last time I was here."

Rex chuckled, "Ah, I remember. General Skywalker had us look for hours in the Felucian swamps to see where you'd run off to. Never thought _you'd _be the one to get yourself ganked by a bunch of lizard-heads."

"Stun rifles work wonders." Ahsoka grumbled.

Rex nearly responded when the display in front of him lit up, red lights blinking in a tri-zone cross. He reached his hand forward and adjusted the screen, tapping a few keys until the display zoomed in and a few lines of text appeared.

"Three Gozanti-class cruisers are pushing through the atmosphere toward us." Rex said, his voice a little wary, "However, I can't get a reading on their security codes."

Ahsoka looked forward and used the Force to peer farther, "Not only that, but I'm feeling something aboard."

"Hail them." Rex said, reaching up to flip the communication switch to establish a signal.

Slowly, the Gozanti's came to a halt a good distance away from them and the main viewport lit up with the image of a young man in a Republic-officer class uniform. The grey shirt and pants were newly pressed and his rank plaque was tightly adjusted on the right side of his chest.

He gave a salute, "Greetings, from the _Reverence. _What can I do for you, Captain?"

Rex nodded at the screen, "We were on our way to Base 726 to check up on the ion repulsion engines they'd been testing. When we saw you, we thought perhaps we were late to the party."

The young man nodded his head, "No, sir. We did not check on that project. We were here just to stock up on supplies before we return to the medical facility above Alderaan."

Ahsoka cut in, "So, Chancellor Organa is aware of three military cruisers coming to the planet?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Ahsoka leaned a bit back, thinking about Rex's _lie. _He had given the young officer false information to see if he was a plant, but the man had not taken the bait, but Ahsoka could feel something churning beneath the surface.

Ahsoka gestured to Rex, "Captain Rex was also wondering why our ship cannot retrieve a fixed reading on your security codes."

The young man adopted a look of confusion, "Must be a problem with your sensors, ma'am."

Rex spoke, "Must be."

A silence followed until the officer cleared his throat, "Is there anything else you require, Captain?"

Rex shook his head, then changed his mind and nodded, "Actually, yes?"

"Yes, sir?"

Rex's eyes narrowed, "You're wearing your plaque on the wrong side, kid."

Ahsoka's eyes widened and her senses expanded as whoever was aboard the cruisers stopped suppressing their presence in the Force. Like two dozen tiny lights lit up in the back of her sixth sense and she felt the Dark Side emanate from within the ships in a thick blanket.

Rex terminated the communication and he turned to Ahsoka, "They're not ours. I think it's the Dusk."

Ahsoka nodded and gripped the controls just as the three cruisers in front of them released half a dozen starfighters. The ships zoomed at them, red laser bolts aiming to take them out of the fight for good.

Rex reacted first, hitting the acceleration and dodging each blast of deadly energy. The ships were on them in an instant, gaining distance with each second.

Ahsoka grimaced as a bolt of energy hit the back of the ship, vibrating both in their seats. She stood up and Rex called back, "Where are you going?"

Ahsoka kept walking, "I'm going to deal with them."

Rex groaned, "I hate it when you say that."

Ahsoka ran to the cargo bay, which had been empty since the end of the Shadow War. There wasn't even a single box of scrap parts there. She ran over to the closet at the far-right side and pulled out one of the spacesuits used to repair parts of the ship if they were in deadstop. She zipped it up and placed her helmet on, sealing it tightly while checking the readout. Her oxygen would last for five hours, but she didn't need that long.

She opened up the hatch and ignited her lightsaber as she saw the lead fighter nearly upon them. At the sight of the hatch opening, the enemy pilot nearly lost control of the ship as Ahsoka leaped out into space, landing on the cockpit of said ship.

She stabbed her blue saber forward into the side of the ship, a fire breaking out followed by a small explosion that released the locking clamps on the cockpit glass. The pilot tried to hold on, but he was sucked out into the vacuum of space and Ahsoka leaped into the cockpit, activating the magnetic lock of her suit to say rooted in the chair.

Quickly, she took the controls and cut the engine flow, falling behind the other starfighters. She barely registered the communication from the other pilots asking if their friend was okay and why he was falling behind before she opened fire on the nearest five ships, reducing them to space dust in an instant.

Then, she deactivated her lightsaber and jumped back onto the cargo hatch of the _Beast. _She reached out through the Force and took hold of the ship she had been piloting. With an immense effort, she swung the ship around before yelling into her own wrist com, "Rex! Get me in view of the cruiser!"

Rex wasted no time in spinning the ship around in a total 180 degrees, lining the back hatch with the Gozanti. Ahsoka released her hold and shoved the damaged starfighter straight at her target, smiling when the starfighter broke into two pieces, cutting into the main hull of one ship and the crew deck of another.

She jumped up and climbed up until she was on the top of the _Beast, _both sabers ignited now, but then her comlink started to beep. She saw that the transmission was coming from the lead Gozanti.

Rex pulled the ship around and was about to let fire rain when Ahsoka called for him to halt his assault. He complied and Ahsoka answered the comlink, "Decided that fighting a Jedi wasn't worth the trouble?"

A hologram appeared, revealing a long thought dead enemy. Her eyes widened as the red skinned, black tattooed Zabrak crossed his arms across his chest, a sneer on his face.

"Maul." Ahsoka whispered, remembering their confrontation on Mandalore with Blaze. She remembered that he had attacked the Temple after the Battle of Coruscant, but Blaze had said he had sustained injuries that would've killed him in minutes. Yet, here he was.

_"__Lady Tano."_ Maul responded, giving a small nod, _"Why am I not surprised that it's you who came to the rescue?"_

"Rescue?" Ahsoka said, frowning, "Am I to assume that you've already attacked the medical facility on the planet?"

_"__You would be correct."_ Maul smirked, _"We have what we came for."_

Ahsoka adjusted her stance and readied herself in the Force, "Then, you know, I can't let you leave here. I suggest you surrender or you'll end up like your first fighter squadron."

Maul was silent for a moment before he reached his hand out and a young, red-headed woman flew through the air, her throat falling into Maul's grasp. Her arms and legs were bound by elector-binders. Ahsoka made a not that they were the same binders that Cad Bane had put _her _in when he had stolen a holocron from the Temple.

_"__Do you know who this is?"_ Maul asked, tightening his grip.

"No." Ahsoka said, "But, if you have her I can only imagine she's on the right side of things."

_"__An illegal cloner is on the right side?" _Maul questioned.

Ahsoka couldn't help the smirk that rose to her face, "Anyone that is not on _your _side is on the right side, Maul. Again, I suggest you surrender."

_"__Not an option."_ Maul tossed the woman to the ground, igniting his red lightsaber, but Ahsoka could see the other lightsaber hanging at his waist and her cool broke.

"Where did you get that lightsaber!?" Ahsoka shouted, her veins turning icy.

Maul followed her gaze to the darksaber and he unclipped it, _"A parting gift from your dear mate."_

Ahsoka's eyes flashed with anger and she grit her teeth as the words came out slowly, venom now dripping from her voice, "Where. Did. You. Get. That?"

Maul's resolve did not flinch, but the look in his eyes changed perceptively. It was as if he was surprised by the sudden change in attitude. Tano had gone from cool and in control of the situation and her emotions to one that was destined to get to the meat of the matter without beating around the proverbial bush.

He still did not answer and instead he placed his red blade near the woman's neck, _"I have no intention of starting anything with the Jedi at this moment or the Republic. My suggestion to __**you**__ would be to go find what survivors there are and forget about this ordeal."_

Ahsoka heard what he said and a veil of red passed in front of her eyes. As she was about to retort, she caught sight of slight movement. Her eyes remained fixed on Maul's face, but she took a look through her peripheral vision and saw the young woman's fingers start to move.

_Coordinates. _Ahsoka thought, memorizing the quick hand movements while gathering her wits enough to respond, "You are a former Sith and have killed countless clones and many Jedi. I do not care if you intend to start anything right _now _because you already did _then._"

Maul growled, then his face contorted into a smirk, _"What if I was to give you an incentive?"_

Ahsoka raised an eye marking, "There is nothing you could offer me to stop this arrest."

_"__Even that __**he**__ may still live."_

Ahsoka's heart flipped. Kane had given her hope, only to rip it away when they got to Felucia in hopes that she would be able to stop the Dusk – now known as Maul's organization – from getting to the facility and stealing whatever was on their wish list.

_But…what if Kane knew. _Ahsoka couldn't help but think as she felt her lips compress into a thin line, "He's gone. I've accepted that."

But, did she? Ever since the Galaxy Gun was destroyed, she had wrestled with the truth. Or, the facts. The facts were that Blaze had been aboard the station when it was blown into atoms, but this was _Blaze Marko. _He had fought Celestials, stopped wars, fought other Earthlings, mastered the Force faster than anyone in record, and had captured her heart and moved the Council's hearts to change the code.

Was it too brash to assume that her whimsical hopes were built more on just emotion?

The facts.

_"__Then, whoever I fought on the surface bears a striking resemblance."_ Maul said. _"So, what will it be?"_

Ahsoka sighed, taking a deep breath after that. She was a Jedi. A Jedi preserved life and there was nothing more she could do. And, if she made a mistake, she could very well end up costing Rex his life and hers as well, and Maul would still disappear into the stars.

Ahsoka deactivated her lightsabers and frowned deeply, "Go."

Maul chuckled, _"Your hospitality is greatly appreciated, Lady Tano."_

"I _will_ find you." Ahsoka growled.

_"__I look forward to it."_ Maul said, then gave nod to someone off cam. He gave Ahsoka one last smile, _"Till the next time, Lady Tano."_

Then, all three ships blasted off into hyperspace.

For ten seconds, Ahsoka's heart beat furiously in her chest as she wondered if she made the right decision. Then, she remembered what Maul had said and she leaped down and back into the ship, running into the cockpit.

She opened her mouth to explain, but Rex said, "I was listening in on the com. We need to get to the surface. Now."

Ahsoka nodded and said nothing as Rex initiated the landing sequence, flying into Kashyyyk's atmosphere. They broke through in seconds and flew towards the coordinates that Kane had given them. Soon enough, they saw a massive crater in what would look like normal ground. But, upon closer inspection, they saw that the hole was covered in small fires from electrical discharges, and beyond that lay metal beams and stray wires.

Ahsoka unclipped her sabers and jumped in the hole while Rex landed the ship somewhere close by.

She dove into a white tiled, white walled facility that oozed with secrecy. A quick glance at the tiles showed that they were covered in some sort of cover-gloss. She could only imagine that it was for some sort of defensive purpose.

She closed her eyes and reached into the Force, feeling all of the remaining people that resided in the structure. Through the Force, she could see that there were dozens of levels that stretched beneath the soil. It was no wonder why the Republic had not been able to detect it.

Deep within, she could feel the lives struggling to survive, the ones helping them, and the ones that didn't seem to be…awake yet. She could feel almost what seemed like _half _of a life signature bustling about. In fact, there were several.

Maul _had _said that it was cloning facility. Cross that with a medical facility and you got _this: _a third party, multi-operational ally to all and yet to none.

_That woman. _Ahsoka thought. _She might be the leader. She gave me coordinates, but I would have to replay the message. _

The Force sparked slightly as she approached a collapsed part of the hallway. It looked as if this was a purposeful collapse, not one that had been the result of hull damage.

She reached as deep within the energy that surrounded, binded, and penetrated the universe as she could and found the disturbance in the Force, and she froze.

_That feeling…_She looked at the rubble closer, extending a hand. _It…it feels like what Kane was replicating. Is it a Shard or…_ She refocused herself and sent her consciousness outward.

_"__Hear me."_

Nothing.

Silence. Darkness. Emptiness.

Then, _light_.

_"__I hear you!"_


	6. Chapter 5: Force of Will

**As you can probably see by now, I'm taking a different approach to the way I do chapters. Originally, it was only in the first person perspective. However, now, it will split from first to OTHER PEOPLE'S third person perspective. If Blaze is ever in the scene, however, it will be first person. That's how perspective works. That being said, enjoy the chapter!**

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Chapter 5

**Force of Will**

She had been through worse, she supposed. Being half human and half Clawdite would show you a lot about what the galaxy had to offer.

In all her three hundred years, Claire Salcur had encountered enemies from all walks of life. The lost soul. The wandering outlaw. The dark walker. The misguided leader who wanted nothing but the safety of himself and the destruction of his own enemies.

But, it had been many years since she dealt with a Sith Lord. Or, former Sith Lord.

She had heard of Darth Maul. And, even as she sat there in her cell, chains binding her legs and hands, she couldn't help but wonder about him. He was a Zabrak who came from Dathomir, the son of Mother Talzin, the Nightsister Mother. His connection to the Force was something of an abnormality. She could feel the Dark Side within him, yet she also detected the magick of the Nightsister Clan mixed in his blood.

Claire adjusted herself slightly, releasing some tension in her muscles as she slumped against the wall.

Not to mention, he had the Kyber Shard of the darksaber. Her mind flashed back to the lessons her father had taught her while they were on board their private star cruiser traveling through the Unknown Regions.

In fact, that was where they had found the Holocron of Fate.

"And, now he has it." Claire muttered to herself, "Though, I suspect that's why he took me. He can't get into the box."

The Kortanium containment box was unbreakable. It could even survive the explosion of a star. The resulting supernova would only scratch the surface of the outer surface. It was an invention of her father's own design.

Mentally, she kicked herself. Hard.

Her father, at his deathbed, had expressed how proud of her he was and how much he loved her, but he also gave her one last warning: to hide away the box and never let it surface. At that point, neither one of them had heard about any of the Kyber Shards surfacing among the known galaxy, but now she knew better.

According to the insight she had gained from their conversation and her own powers of mind-probing, she had learned a great deal from Blaze Marko. She had seen memories while they had spoken, and the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together into a picture that made her stomach churn.

_"__How did she get it?"_

That thought had brushed past her own thoughts in the living area when Blaze woke up for the second time.

The "_she" _that Claire had heard would have to have been Blaze's fiancé, Ahsoka. It was possible that Ahsoka Tano could have come into contact with a split Kyber Shard on one of her endeavors across the galaxy, though the chances were very slim at best.

Unless, the Force was preparing her for the person that would come into her life: Blaze.

Blaze's power was unlike anything she'd ever encountered before. She had heard the stories of the Celestials. The Journal of the Whills had even alluded to their existence and even to the Shards' locations across the galaxy. However, one of the final entries merely gave one worded adjectives to describe their placements. Her father had searched for a while but had ultimately given up on the hunt, realizing that it would be far more trouble than it was worth.

But, _his _power.

Again, she remembered their fight. She felt the Light. She felt the Dark. She felt the Balance in between. Yet, his body couldn't keep up with the strain, though she could honestly admit to herself that it was her fault.

Her chest sunk a bit. She had neglected to tell him the truth before he was she taken.

But, that would have to wait. Now, she was dealing with her own situation.

She closed her eyes and reached into the Force, letting her other senses heighten at the loss of sight. She could feel the vibrations from the floor emanating from the main engine compartment. She could hear the footsteps from the hallway thirty meters away. And, she could smell the stench of the guard outside.

And, of course, there was the sixth sense that the Force awarded to those connected to it. She could almost see Maul aboard the bridge of the ship, standing at the front looking at the stretched stars of hyperspace. Off the top of her head, she couldn't place the timeframe of when they would arrive to Corellia, but she knew that she had enough time to try to break away.

She had been around long enough to know that everybody got complacent.

She smiled to herself, "I hope you're ready."

As she readied herself to snap her own chains, the door to the cell area opened up. Her eyes snapped up, realizing that she hadn't sensed whoever had just come in before they had done so.

She slacked her shoulders as a tall, muscular Zeltron male walked in. He was clad in a leather suit with armor guard plates on the shoulders, chest, and knees. Dual pistols hung at his sides, but there was a lightsaber in his hand. She realized quickly that it was hers. As to why this particular person had it, she did not know.

"Careful with that." She said sarcastically. "You'll cut your own arm off."

The Zeltron laughed, "You say that as if I haven't handled a lightsaber before."

"You don't look like the brightest soul in the sector so I thought I'd just help you out." Claire cracked a smirk.

The Zeltron frowned, "Scutta."

"Now, now." Claire cooed mockingly, "How would your mother feel about talking to a lovely lady such as myself in that way?"

The Zeltron's eyes glistened slightly as he gave her a once up and down, "She would tell me why haven't I bedded you yet?"

Claire raised an eyebrow, some of her red hair falling in front of her eyes. She had gained skills over her many years, and one of those skills was the art of seduction. Now, the Zeltron in front of her was a trained killer and a fighter above all, taking out all the bravado.

"I'm right here." Claire said, almost in a whisper, "And, I've got nothing to do."

The Zeltron looked backward, almost as if checking for other people nearby. Then, he smirked, placing the lightsaber on the floor near the wall next to the door. He pressed a button on the side and the door to her cell opened up. She didn't move as the he walked into the cell and leaned down to her face, taking it in his hands.

She pushed down the disgust when he forced his mouth on hers, pushing his tongue inside her mouth. She let out a slight moan and the Zeltron got the picture. He reached behind and unlatched the chains around her legs and arms, letting her legs wrap around his waist as he pushed her against the wall.

_That's all I needed. _

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the small dagger that was attached to the side of his outer arm guard. In one swift motion, she grabbed the knife and drove it into the back of his skull, detaching the spinal cord completely and sending the brain into spasm. Within seconds, his synapses fired all over the place until they blinked out in a last desperate attempt to regain control. He let out a final gasp as all his muscles failed, his body crumpling to the ground and Claire hit the ground, both feet staying strong.

She held the small knife in her hand, blood dripping onto the floor, and gave a small smile, "Sorry, buddy. But, sometimes you have a softer touch with some women." She tossed the knife away.

She reached out her hand, her lightsaber flying into her palm.

She leaned her neck from side to side, popping it gently. Then, she cracked her knuckles, letting a calmness wash over.

With her free hand, she reached up into her red hair and pulled out a small metal shard. After pressing it between both her fingers, the metal shard jumped onto her wrist and slowly spread over her body, covering her in her black and silver combat suit, made of a phrik-titanium alloy. It could deflect lightsaber attacks for a time, but if she was stabbed in one place too long the metal would melt away and flesh would be exposed.

For an instant, she thought of reverting to her normal skin composition, but then thought better of it. While her real skin was more durable, it would be too much of a dead giveaway. Plus, she hadn't assumed that form in over a hundred years, there was no way she would now.

She closed her eyes and scanned the ship with her mind. Almost everyone where in their same positions except Maul. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath followed by a sigh of frustration.

She had hoped that maybe she could get to one of the escape pods, but her wish wouldn't be granted this time.

She dove to the side just as the door to the cell room opened up, Maul walking in. As his first mechanical foot hit the deck, she could tell he knew. His eyes widening for a half second before he caught sight of her. But, by that time, she was already airborne. She kicked her food forward, bottom outward to slam into his wrist as he grabbed for the darksaber.

Then, she reached out through the Force and grabbed him, throwing him into the jail cell she had been shackled into. While continuing to hold him there, she attached the shackles to his wrists and legs as he shouted in frustration.

After she was done, she took a step back and smiled at the fury in his flashing yellow eyes.

Claire couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips, "Well, I didn't expect you to fall that easily, Maul. I honestly was hoping for more of a challenge, especially since you were able to capture me."

Maul growled, "The element of surprise is always a game changer."

Claire ignited her lightsaber, the yellow blade flashing into existence with a snap-hiss, "Well, surprise Maul, I'm ending this all before it even begins."

"No small talk?" Maul suddenly grinned, showing his teeth. "And, here I thought the guardian of the Holocron of Fate would want to exchange words a bit more before she did her duty."

Claire felt her chest twitch just the slightest bit, "Oh, I would love to hear all about your mother, Talzin, and your dead brothers, your clan, your alliance to the Sith, and now about this life that you've created amongst the rabble. But, I don't have the time for it." She stabbed the blade forward, pointing it at his throat, "Plus, I can't let you have the holocron."

"Afraid to see what I can do with it?" Maul asked tauntingly.

Claire frowned this time, "Fear has nothing to do with it. It is all about what is right and what is wrong. I know what you will do with it, especially with the shard that inside that lightsaber."

Maul cast a glance over to the fallen saber, "I've come to know the power within the shard, so I can only imagine that it amplifies the power within a hundred-fold."

Claire chuckled again. She was amused at how much Maul had failed to learn. He searched for a power that he barely understood. It was like a child asking to drive an airspeeder when he just started pre-school.

"You couldn't begin to comprehend." Claire's frowned deepened. "It's hard to believe I once was as naïve as you."

"Thought you knew everything, did you?"

"Yes." Claire said. "I thought I understood their power. That it was only through the Holocron of Fate that they could be used, but after seeing Blaze Marko I can safely say that he has been touched by the Kyber Shards for many years now."

"His lightsaber crystal." Maul said, his tone taking a turn for the incredulous, "His power has always been shocking, but it makes sense now. Which means there is one buried with his body back on Kashyyyk."

Claire laughed outright this time, "You truly are a fool, aren't you, Maul?"

"What?"

"You think that you _killed _him?" Claire smirked, "No. He survived an explosion _powered _by a Kyber Shard. From his story, I can assume that this Galaxy Gun was also powered by one of the shards." She shook her head in disbelief as she added up the numbers, "So, there were _three _shards in the same place and time. Incredible. Hidden from the mortal realm for years, then they pop back into existence. Just as it was written in the journal."

"You refer to the Whills." Maul said matter-of-factly.

"They foretold that there would be a _war _over the shards." Claire said, her voice dark and foreboding. She couldn't help it. Now, it _was _fear that crept up into the corners of her mind. "It is no coincidence that there were three in the same place."

Maul let out a dry laugh, "And, Marko survived. Again. He's still alive, isn't he?"

"I have no doubt." Claire said, remembering Blaze's face. The soft features of his face and the stubble that adorned it. "He is strong with the Force."

"Yes." Maul growled, "And, now we know why. I had heard the rumors circulating within the inner circles around the galaxy about his origin. About his powers."

"He never got to that part." Claire said, her interest piqued. "Where _is _he from?"

"I do not know for sure." Maul said. "But, he appeared out of thin air. I know the Jedi. I spied. I infiltrated the Temple during my apprenticeship. I know that before the last year of the Clone War, he did _not _exist."

Claire pondered on that. She had been around for hundreds of years and had seen things she couldn't explain and things she could. There were, of course, Force Nexus points in the galaxy that could have spawned him, but there was something else about his entire existence that confused her: why did the Kyber Shard choose him?

"Interesting." Claire said. "I'll have to ask him when I return."

"You won't get the chance, my dear." Without warning, the chains around him snapped and she was flung backwards, her back hitting the metal door, ripping it off its hinges, and sending her spiraling into the hallway beyond.

She regained her balance and cursed her own curiosity. She had taken her focus off of containing Maul to listen to his facts. She had an attuned sense to feel out the truths and lies that people told, and she knew that Maul had been speaking the truth. As vile as he was, he had been truthful. And, _that _was what had distracted her.

But, she wouldn't let it happen again.

Maul jumped back up to his feet and pulled the darksaber to his hand and, once again, his eyes turned red, "Your fascination into Marko has made me think: why _does _he wield the power he does? Was it an accident? Or was he chosen?" His teeth ground together, "And why won't he just _die_?!"

Taking her battle stance, Claire readied herself, "Perhaps his will is just too strong to be snuffed out by the likes of you."

"I will make this quick." Maul taunted, pulling a second lightsaber from behind his back, a blood red blade flinging out.

Claire twirled her blade as Maul stepped through the doorway to join her in the hallway, "You had your chance, son of Dathomir."

Then, he charged.

His first attack came from basically out of nowhere. He teleported right in front of her, his black blade slamming downward at her right shoulder. She deflected the blow, pushing upward to send him slightly off balance, but Maul was quick. He righted himself and swung for her ribs.

Claire moved slightly to the right, dodging the attack as she parried his black blade. Left. Right. Up. Down. Left. Left. Flip. There was a sort of symmetry to his moves, Claire had seen. His skills were more than impressive, and with the Kyber Shard he was infinitely more dangerous.

As her blade came forward to stab his torso, he vanished, only to reappear behind her, throwing a forceful lateral blow at her exposed side. It was only by the grace of the Force that she was able to repel herself to the side, slamming her shoulder against the metal wall, then she immediately ducked and rolled out of the way of his next blow.

Without thinking, she threw her hand at him, lightning flashing out of her fingers, engulfing him as he tried to teleport away again. However, this time, Claire had caught onto the signature. Each time he used the Kyber Shard's power, there was a fluctuation in his chemical make-up, something that the Force made very apparent.

When he appeared near the doorway again, his face was wracked with pain. She wasted no time and dashed at him, her offense driving him backwards until his back was against the metal bars of her cell. She went for a decapitating slash, but she was only lucky enough to scrape the side of his neck before he dashed out of the way.

Maul took a moment to gaze as best he could at the wound. He turned back to her, blades raised, "You don't think you can defeat me, do you?'

Claire cracked another smile. She was doing that a lot, "You may have one of the most powerful relics in all of history, but you have yet to learn how to use it properly, Maul. It'll be your undoing."

"Your overconfidence will be yours." Maul growled back.

Claire shrugged, then lunged at him, her golden blade tearing through the space between them before Maul could blink. He parried the blow, then counterattacked, making Claire leap up and around him, her acrobatics assisting her now more than ever.

Then, surprisingly, Maul turned and ran back into the hallway. She followed until he stopped in the middle of it.

He took a deep breath and his red eyes flashed back to their original golden state. He lowered his blades and shut them off.

"Surrendering?" Claire prompted. "Wise choice."

"No." Maul whispered, closing his eyes, then opening them a few seconds later. His irises had disappeared and he held his hand up, a void of darkness appearing like a black hole plucked from the galaxy itself. "I'm simply proving you wrong."

Claire flung herself to the ground as the black hole launched itself at her. He looked back in horror as the attack made contact with the metal cell bars. The instant it made contact, they _disintegrated completely. _

Before she could get to her feet, Maul was in front of her, darksaber at her neck, mere millimeters from her throat. His eyes had gained color again and sweat stuck to his forehead.

Maul chuckled, "So, _that _was the true power."

"It would assume so." Claire said.

In one quick motion, Maul kicked Claire in the face, splitting her lip. Blood splattered on the ground. Maul lifted her up with the Force, then turned her around, slashing right at the back of her heels.

Claire screamed out in intense pain as her feet failed to respond as Maul dropped her to the ground. Her lightsaber was less than a foot away, but the pain in her legs was now almost unbearable. He hadn't cut off her feet, but she couldn't stand. Surgery was needed. But, she knew she wouldn't get it.

Maul growled, "Now, maybe this time you'll stay put." He pushed his hand out, slamming her head against the wall where the cell bars used to be. Her body went limp and unconsciousness overtook her.

Maul looked at his hands and smiled, "It seemed your will was weaker than _mine_." Then, he frowned hard as he remembered what she'd said, "Marko." A light blinked in his head, "Perhaps you were right, Ms. Salcur. His will is too strong. But, now with this power, I can close the loop. Knowing him, he'll find us. And, when he does, I'll finish what the past two wars couldn't. What my old master couldn't do."

His plan would come to fruition, even if it was the last thing he ever did. He pulled out a com unit and spoke, "I'm placing a bounty on Jedi Ahsoka Tano. Reward: one million credits. Connect a secure line with _Firespray_-733."


	7. Chapter 6: Reunification

**THIS ONE IS A BIGGIE GUYS!**

**UPDATE 06/22/19 : Due to me accidentally putting in the wrong chapters (That being the sixth and fifth chapter) I have switched them around, which actually makes it better, believe it or not. However, due to my own incompetence, I have decided to post the chapter ahead of schedule!**

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Chapter 6:

**Reunification**

The bubble of Force energy exploded around me, sending all the metal beams and ceiling tiles to the left and to the right, slamming into empty rooms and non-vital electronic equipment. Fresh air assaulted my lungs after my mouth let forth a feral scream that threatened to tear my vocal cords apart. For the first time since waking up, I could feel the Force fully circulate within the vessel that was my body. There was no imbalance or rupturing force of disconjointed systems.

My feet were hanging off the ground as I realized I was floating in mid-air now, small circlets of electricity circling around my arms and legs, setting off golden sparks all around me. I could feel the prickle of power across my arms and legs, exciting my heart in that moment.

I raised a hand up in front of my vision, the skin across my hands starting to smooth out, scratches and cuts disappearing instantly. Blood that had dried on my skin soaked back into the skin of which it came as wounds closed up in mere seconds, muscles regaining vitality and strength.

I turned my hand over and smiled. _My power. My connection. _

But, never one to miss a beat, I couldn't help but also wonder a stray thought: _Why now? _

"Blaze."

I lowered my hand and felt my feet hit the ground, my focus now centered forward. My eyes were still a bit hazy, but they cleared up mere seconds later.

My heart stopped in my chest.

"…Ahsoka?"

She _was _there. Her face nearly identical as to when I had seen here last aboard the Galaxy Gun. Her outfit, I noted, was one that conveyed both action and comfort, but it was slightly wrinkled, as if there was something over top of it recently. The headpiece above her forehead was also different, a silver band with a dark grey, square plating piece in the center.

My eyes then met hers, only to see new tears welling up in them, her mouth closed in a thin line. I could tell she was trying to keep herself from spilling over.

I reached a hand up to my own cheek, feeling tears spilling from my own eyes. My emotions were starting to overcome rational thought now as the situation hit for both parties in my mind.

I was looking at Ahsoka, who I thought I would never see again.

And, she was looking at me, thinking she had said her final goodbyes long ago.

I lowered my hand and reached it out to her, my own fingers trembling as she took a few steps forward and her fingers touched mine.

The Force bond that had been gone sparked back to life and memories, emotions, and impressions suddenly shot into my system. In a half second, I received a glimpse of the time she had gone through and felt my heart shatter as the gut wrenching sadness of pain and loss washed over me, but then a new light exploded into existence.

I hadn't even realized that my eyes had gone to our hands until my head turned upward to catch her gaze once again.

I reached my other hand up and touched the side of her face, her soft skin against my palm.

Without wasting a second, Ahsoka moved forward and took me into her arms, wrapping them around my body and resting her head against my chest while letting her tears soak my tunic. I couldn't help myself as my own tears dripped onto her lekku.

"It's really you." She whispered, tightening her grip. Then, she leaned back, "You're really here. I'm not dreaming."

I chuckled, cupping her face, "No, Ahsoka. I'm real. It's no dream."

Ahsoka's eyes shined, "I can't believe you're alive."

"Me either." I smiled back at her. "I never thought I'd see you again."

Ahsoka shook her head and pushed forward, her lips crashing onto mine. The familiar scent she always carried around melded into my senses and I felt complete. I pushed back against her, soaking in her presence and marveling on how it felt. It was as if I was kissing her for the first time.

After a few more seconds, we parted and rested foreheads against one another.

Then, I remembered what had transpired.

"Maul." I pulled back, "Where's Maul?"

Ahsoka wore a face of confusion, then she fixed it, "I ran into him on the way here. He got away."

"Maul got away?" I exclaimed, "Damn it."

Ahsoka tapped her wrist, "I think I might know where he will be going, though. He captured a woman who replayed coordinates with her hands just as Master Koth did when he was captured by Grevious." Her tone softened, "My love, perhaps you should sit down."

I was going to refuse, but then I felt her presence touch mine the way she had done a thousand times before, and now it had begun again.

I nodded and took a seat just as another body dropped through the hole in the ceiling. It took only a moment to see that it was Captain Rex. He looked like he had aged a bit since I last saw him, and now he was sporting a beard.

"Rex!" I exclaimed as my rear hit the ground, Ahsoka sitting cross-legged next to me.

Rex's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, then he gave a deep, genuine laugh, "I'll be a Rancor's uncle!" He took a seat in front of me and held his hand out, "To hell with all those naysayers who said death couldn't be conquered."

I clapped his hand against mine and felt the brotherly love in that handshake. Rex was a man of principle and honor, but he was also one who had his life touched by Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi Wan. It was no wonder that his emotions would nearly match Ahsoka's in depth, though in a different way.

"Rex." I chuckled, "I don't know how I feel about the beard."

Rex gave a grin, "How else am I going to get all the ladies down at _Niners_?"

My smile widened, "Oh, does Rex have a girlfriend?"

Rex's face flushed slightly, "Perhaps. Maybe you could meet her when we get out of all of this."

Ahsoka nodded clasped my hands in hers, "Of course." Then, she looked around at the broken supports, "I can't believe this has been under the Republic's noses this entire time."

I nodded, "I can only imagine that Claire had her reasons for doing so."

"I'm guessing it was Claire that was who Maul captured." Ahsoka said, her voice edging a bit into the calculating tone of one who was putting the pieces together, "But, that seemed like all he took. Or, did he take something else?"

I felt my lips turn downward as the words came from my lips, "He stole something called the Holocron of Fate. It's a catalyst that allows someone to tap directly into the Kyber Shard's true power. At least, that's how he made it sound."

"And, this Claire had the Holocron?" Rex asked. "Then, we have to get it back."

I nodded, my hand tightening around Ahsoka's, "We also have to get Claire back."

Ahsoka's eye were inquisitive, "I assume she's the leader of this organization?"

"Yeah." I said, "And, she's the one who saved me. I don't know all the details – she was going to tell me before Maul showed up – but I know it was her that made the decision to retrieve my body."

Ahsoka nodded, her eyes reflecting emotion for a moment before pulling both Rex and I to our feet. She let go of my hand and pulled up her wrist comm. She typed in a few keys and then let the silence hang for a moment before an image of Maul throwing Claire to the ground appeared.

"Look at her hands." Ahsoka said, gesturing downward.

I did so and saw the hand signals. Three diagonal movements with a small curve of both the first three fingers, and then a sudden jolt with the first finger only followed by two small bends. Replaying the multitude of classes the Jedi had made me sit through years prior, I ran the coordinates in my head.

_Mid Rim. J-Sector. Corellia._

"Corellia." Rex put in before I could, "She's signaling the coordinates for Corellia. Most likely, they'll head into the mountain range past Coronet."

Ahsoka let the image hang for a moment, her eyes locked on Claire's hands as they moved for a final time.

"She made one more signal." Ahsoka said gravely, looking up into my eyes, "She said, 'not him'."

My brain stopped for a moment, then the cogs worked their way back to their assigned tasks and my mouth moved on its own accord, "I'm going."

Rex nodded, "No one said you weren't, Blaze."

"But, that's obviously what she meant." Ahsoka said softly, then reflected, "The Holocron of Fate. I haven't heard that before, but it doesn't surprise me. There are still thousands of relics scattered around the galaxy that we don't know about. But, its power does surprise me. Can he access it right now as is?"

I smirked a bit. She had always been one to question and think on her own accord, but there were times when I still thought she was legions above me. And, I held myself in a high regard for intelligence.

"I don't think so." I said. "One of Maul's men said that the Holocron was in a box made of Kortanium. And, we all know how indestructible that metal is."

Rex gave a chuckle, then it died away, "Which is the reason he took her. He needs her to open the box. She's the one who put it in there."

"My thoughts exactly, Rex." Ahsoka said, taking a deep breath, "Well, we know the where. Now, we just need to figure out the how."

I couldn't help the chuckle that left my throat, "Well, first off, we need help." Then, I remembered details. Sometimes, it almost slipped my mind that I had once been an Earthling. A kid who just sat at his desk and did homework while reading a Star Wars book in between. And, it was that very knowledge that came to mind.

In 19 BBY, Darth Vader led the Jedi Purge. Two years after that, he discovered a Jedi survivor on Kashyyyk with his young son. Vader killed the Jedi and took his son as his apprentice, the one who would be known later as Starkiller.

Thinking of just how many years had gone by since the Purge _would _have taken place, I pressed a hand to my chin. _So, six years. Then, two. So, eight. That means he wouldn't be able to help us successfully, but Kento might. _

As I opened my mouth to speak, Ahsoka cut me off, "This has to be kept under the radar."

I gave her a look, "Something happen?"

Ahsoka eyes darkened for a moment as she sighed, crossing her arms across her chest, "Kane warned me."

"Kane." I spoke the name aloud.

I had almost forgotten. _Almost _being the operative word.

I closed my eyes and heard the conversation echo in my head again.

_"__Kane."_

_"__Blaze."_

_"__You have to do me this one favor. It's all I ask."_

_"__Considering the situation, name it, Template."_

_"__Watch over her. Make sure this doesn't kill her like I think it might."_

_"__What are you…?"_

_"__PROMISE ME, KANE!"_

_"…__I promise."_

_"__Good. Now get going. It's time to end this."_

_"__You'll die. You know that?"_

_"__Then, you better find a way to disconnect our connection and live. Because, a promise is a promise." _

_"__Done."_

_"__Now, GO!"_

Kane was an exact clone of myself, created using a Spartakii cloning tank by Darth Sidious during the Clone Wars. There had been a defect in brain function when Sidious had tried to program his mind before a certain age and he threw away the clone, thinking he would become brain dead. Little did he know, Kane's brain developed quickly and he survived, lasting in the shadows until he could take up his position as leader of the Shadow Brigade and fulfill his directive: try to eliminate the Republic and Jedi to establish a new order. It was only after Kane realized that there would be no end if there were both of us fighting one another that he suggested the truce.

And, it had seemed he kept his promise to me as well. Ahsoka was alive and well, and the energy that radiated was one of peace and acceptance. Even in the wake of death, she finally found that peace. Whether it had to do completely with Kane was another story entirely.

Ahsoka continued to speak. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a knowing look, "Kane suggested that there might be a leak in the Senate…perhaps even insinuating the Jedi Order as well. That's why only Rex and I came this way."

"How did you find me?" I asked.

Ahsoka shifted her stance slightly, "Kane contacted me, telling me that something was corrupting the native Felucians and that because of my exposure to such power, I would be able to turn the tide. However, when we got there, he was waiting for us and told us the truth: that there was a criminal organization called the Dusk that was heading for a secret third party medical facility on Kashyyyk and that they were going to steal valuable technology. Now, I'm sure he meant the Holocron." She gave a slight smile, "Now, I can understand why he hid the truth."

"Yeah." Rex said. "If there is a leak in the Republic or the Order – and if people know about the Kyber Shards – then they might launch their own strike."

I nodded, "Makes sense. I'm sure Kane also was wary of his own side. The power here is something that isn't easy to use and can destroy or create on a scale unimaginable." I held up my new lightsaber, "I'm just glad he didn't get this one."

Ahsoka's eyes widened, "You have one?"

"Yeah." I responded, "Right now, I can confirm the existence of three: the blue one I use, the darksaber, and the crystal that was in the center of the Galaxy Gun."

"That's the one aboard a secret starship which continues to travel the galaxy." Rex said, obviously remembering that bit of information. "Huyang is one of the chief operators in charge of making sure no one knows about it." He nudged at Ahsoka, "At Kane's behest."

Parts of the puzzle were finally coming into place. The events that had transpired after my death were finally coming to the light. Obviously, the Galaxy Gun merely used the Kyber Shard's physical properties to amplify the power within and that created just enough power to create at planet-killing laser beam. But, there was no telling what the power within the shard actually held.

"Good." I said, taking a deep breath, "We need to get going. Maul already has a head start. But, you are also right about keeping this close to the vest."

Ahsoka nodded, a hand coming to her chin, "We also need to avoid using anyone too well known as to no let Council or the Senate catch wind of it. I would hate for all of this to draw unwanted attention to this facility."

Briefly, my eyes flashed with the image of Claire being Force-choked by Maul and a flash of ire sparked within. My thoughts refocused, "My brother, Jake. Is he okay?"

Ahsoka smiled proudly, "He's grown up into a man, Blaze. Respectful. Kind. A fighter, like you."

I smiled, warmed by the words. The worst thought nearly jumped into my head, but Ahsoka's words completely washed away that thought.

"That's one." Rex said. "I can get a message to Turbo, Wing, and Kink. They should be finishing up a tour they took to the Outer Rim. It shouldn't turn any heads."

I nodded, then remembered, "What about Ziv?"

Ahsoka was silent for a moment until I nudged her gently to go on, "Ziv…left a few months ago to the Outer Rim on an assignment. Radio silence ever since."

"Did he go alone?" I asked, thinking about why Ziv would do such a thing.

Ahsoka shook her head, "No." She said. "He went with his wife, Kiara. They volunteered for a mission, but it would have ended within a few days. I've tried to contact them, but I've received no reply."

My hand came to my own chin as I thought aloud, "Perhaps, there's more to be done out there."

"Or." Rex said softly, "Maybe he wanted to get away from the reminder that he wasn't a part of the last battle. He blamed himself for well over a year. It wouldn't surprise me if he wanted to take time away from it all to decompress with his wife. You know? Try to forget."

My heart sunk a bit. _To think. After everything we've endured, it was my death that made Ziv – David – quit. _

I pushed away my feelings for the moment and straightened my stance, my voice slightly hardening as I remembered that time wasn't a luxury we had at the moment. It was a race, and we were falling behind by the minute.

"I understand. I'll try to find him after." I said. "But, now we need to have a headcount. Me, Ahsoka, Rex, Jake…wait. You only named three other clones. What about the rest of my squad?"

Rex's eyes darkened and he gave a sigh, "I forgot. You didn't know."

"Know what?" I turned to Ahsoka.

Her face was just as solemn, "They raided the Galaxy Gun with me. There were casualties. Only Turbo, Wingman, and Kink survived."

Again, I felt my heart sink. The bad news just kept on coming. And, what was worse is that this happened years ago.

I quelled the bile that started to rise in my throat and the thoughts that said _it's all your fault _and refocused yet again, "Then, that's who we have to use."

Ahsoka could see the hurt and pain behind my eyes and my words, but she said nothing. The glint in her eyes said enough. They were telling me to stand firm and focus on the current task, then there would be time to mourn properly.

"Skywalker?"

"He took some leave time on Naboo." Ahsoka said.

"Obi Wan?"

"Visiting Stewjon."

"I assume Yoda is out of the picture jut due to the fact that someone would overhear it through the Temple walls?"

"My assumption."

I nodded, then smiled, "Ahsoka. Do you remember where I'm from?"

"Earth." Ahsoka said, her tone a bit questioning. "Why?"

"Well, you know that I know a lot about this galaxy because of my childhood there. The future of what almost was. The one I changed." I said. "And, I happen to know that there is at least one more Jedi here on Kashyyyk who left the Order in the first year of the Clone Wars."

Ahsoka was puzzled, "Left the Order?"

"Yeah." I said, drawing on the memories of the past. All those nights on the internet researching information to better my knowledge. At one point, I had thought that I would attend a gameshow about Star Wars. Little did I know that the world would come to me while I did homework. "Kento and Mallie Marek. In the original future, Mallie was killed by slavers and Kento later on by Vader. Now, I don't know if they are both alive because of the change. But, I do know where they _would _be."

Ahsoka's eyes shined, "That's useful. We run with that." She turned to Rex, "Rex. Get back to the ship and run a communication line out to Jake and the squad to meet us at these coordinates. Tell them it's of the utmost urgency. Blaze and I will go see about the Mareks."

Rex gave a half salute, "Right away." He turned and made his way up the fallen support beam until he was out of the facility.

There was a small silence before Ahsoka broke it.

"I assume they would also have the ship they left in, right?" She said. "Or have they been working with the surrounding Wookiee villages?"

"They have good relations with the Wookiees. They've been helping them fend off the Trandoshins for years now." I responded, fixing my tunic slightly. "It's possible that they sold their transport for supplies to help them. Though, I'm sure since the Wookiees have been advanced enough to create their own plasma weapons, it would be an unnecessary gesture."

"Unless they didn't plan to return to the rest of the galaxy." Ahsoka said. "You know. A new start."

I felt the emotion behind her words and then my mouth thinned out to form a straight line as understanding dawned upon me.

"Are you talking about the Mareks?" I asked, my voice soft, "Or us?"

Ahsoka gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, "Both."

"The Mareks still have a sense of Jedi morality. As for us," I said, "that's a talk for later."

"Work first." Ahsoka sighed, "I was hoping we wouldn't be thrown into battle until things had settled down."

My heart sparked slightly in…irritation?

_Why would that irritate me?_

"They have Claire!" I nearly exclaimed, answering my own question. "We can't rest now."

Ahsoka raise an eyebrow at the tone, "And I understand that we must rescue her. If not for the sole reason that she saved your life and gave me my love back."

I shrunk back, shame washing over me, "I-I'm sorry."

Ahsoka raised a hand to my face, brushing a thumb over my cheek, "Not necessary, Blaze. I understand what she means to you. A random person saving you from certain death. What are the chances of that?"

"Basically nonexistent." I said.

Ahsoka nodded, "So, we should be equally ready to help her in her time of need. Maul won't arrive at Corellia for some time from this sector, but we still have to move swiftly." She leaned up and pressed her lips to mine again, melding our presences together in a smoothie-blend of two different – yet similar – walks of life. Our hearts merged.

One mind.

One body.

One soul.

When we parted, Ahsoka's face changed ever so slightly in my vision. Her crystal blue eyes shifted ever so slightly, pupils dilating slightly and the pheromones of her species assaulted my senses. It wasn't something you necessarily could smell, but it was a scent all its own. Only, your entire body was your nose, breathing in the addictive chemical.

But, there was something else.

An image flashed in front of my mind. It was only for a second, but I saw it clearly as I saw Ahsoka now. Time seemed to stop in that instance, Ahsoka's facial features freezing, but my eyes were still moving. They scanned her body and I saw a black dress, slightly accented by white lines around the bottom and the neck, where a necklace that looked like it belonged to Shili hung.

Taking my gaze back to her face, I realized the tears that soaked her cheeks. Her expression had changed to one of sorrow and hopelessness just as the surroundings started to change as well. We were not surrounded by metal walls anymore, but by plant life of all sorts which were joined by all types of species and familiar faces.

I took a step back, feeling my physical body stay rooted but I stood back nonetheless.

I looked around, seeing all those faces from long ago. Just as I had left them.

Obi Wan. Anakin. Padme. Luke. Leia. Jake. Ziv. Lyra. Yoda. Turbo. Rex. Cody. Kink. Wingman. Kiara. Serra. Cin. Yularen. Dax.

They were all wearing a similar black arrangement of clothes, prompting me to concentrate on their faces as well. Sure enough, I saw pain, sorrow, loss.

Yet, in Anakin I saw regret and a sense of guilt. But, when was this?

I turned around just as someone started to speak.

"Blaze Marko was more than a hero. He was a legend. He was a partner. He was a champion. And, he gave his life for all of you. Everyone on Coruscant was spared a gruesome death because of his heroism. His love knew no bounds, and even now I'm sure he is smiling, knowing that you are all here to continue on his work. I understand that it was my organization that started this mess, but it will also be my organization that cleans up the mess. I can never atone, but I promise that because of this man we will start to pick up the physical pieces."

_Kane. _

Then, the vision shifted and I was looking at Ahsoka again, but it was somewhere different. Now, I was in our apartment and she was on the balcony looking ahead at the sunset of Coruscant. The bump on her belly was the only thing I could focus on at the moment.

_My…children._

_"__I love you, Blaze." _

Then, I was brought back into the present, Ahsoka looking into my eyes once more. No more than a second had passed, and yet I had seen the funeral and the beginning of Ahsoka's pregnancy.

A tear fell from my eye and Ahsoka wiped it away. Before I was able to respond, Ahsoka beat me to it, "Yes. It was hard. It was almost impossible. But, we made each other a promise. We would continue on. No one's ever really gone. You lived through Max and Lexiah."

"Max and Lexiah." I breathed, "That was the boy's name I thought of when we were just teenagers. And, Lexiah's the one you picked out."

"Perfection." Ahsoka said, the hand on my face tightening slightly with emotion, "Once this is over, you'll finally get to meet them."

I smiled wide, my heart burning with anticipation and excitement, "I can't wait."

Ahsoka smiled softly, then it turned into a smirk, "Now, let's go recruit some Jedi."

My smirk flashed back, "Now you sound like me." Then, I remembered someone else and I nearly kicked myself right then and there. "What about Cali?"

Ahsoka's face fell, her expression holding a pain I had yet to encounter. It was different than the pain that her eyes held when she looked at me. It was one of…regret.

I felt my chest swallow my heart. _No…_

"We need to talk about Cali."

_Not the kid…_


	8. Chapter 7: Trio, Duo, Solo

Chapter 7:

**TRIO, DUO, SOLO**

"Blaze. Are you still there?"

I shook myself from my own stupor and looked up, seeing a vast line of trees and shrubbery. Massive plant life and vegetation spread up from the ground, and it even appeared from the bark of some of the trees themselves. They, of course, were brylark trees. One of the only trees in the galaxy that had bark which could compare up to the metals that Jedi would use in creating their lightsabers.

The sun streamed through the cracks of the canopy, letting plenty of light glaze the area in a blanket of energy. However, that energy was nothing compared to the hollow feeling that swallowed my being.

Yes, I had heard Ahsoka, but the words were painful. I had just been reunited with Ahsoka after believing myself to be dead and gone, and that was something I couldn't have been more thankful for. However, the news that she delivered was enough to send my good mood down the drain faster than an airspeeder pilot through an unregulated area.

"Yeah." I mumbled, my brain still buzzing and my eyes starting to burn again. I quickly summoned the will to bring myself under control as I locked eyes with my love, "Lyra said she died instantly?"

Ahsoka nodded somberly, "A single strike through the chest. She felt no pain, Blaze. And, I can only imagine that she has found her peace through the Force."

"Yeah." I said absently, feeling the Force nudge at the corners of my mind. I didn't take the bait and stayed rooted in the present. I had felt that feeling before. It was the same feeling that had touched my senses before I was able to look back into the past, to gain a better understanding of previous events. And, I knew what the Force wanted to show. I could already _feel _the ash on my skin from the burning station and taste the blood in my mouth.

I shook my head suddenly, reaching a hand up to will the Force to stop, to let me forget.

Or, did the Force not want me to forget?

_Cali. _

Ever since I had gotten to the universe I would call my own, I had felt that the Force connected with me in a way no one else had before seen or felt. Claire had hinted that the Kyber Shard in my possession could have allowed me to access the powers more easily, but it couldn't have been that simple.

_What about Jake? He has powers. And, Ziv. But, Ziv had his own crystal, not saying that it was a Kyber Shard, but relics are known to give others power when they don't possess any. _I thought. _Is it possible that the proximity to the shard gave each person their powers? Is that why mine is much easier to control? _

There were a thousand questions now. The questions that would haunt me till the end of the journey, but I had been convinced that the journey was never ending. Even death had not stopped me. It had only delayed me.

_The inevitable. _The words ghosted in one ear and out the other, tickling my curiosity even further.

Then, Ahsoka's hand was on my shoulder, her fingers gripping me slightly as she sent a wave of calming energy over our Force-bond. The unbridled love and affection that washed over me was enough to soften even the hearts of the truly evil, but it only succeeded in slowing my pulse by a few beats.

And, still, there was that one thought that threatened to rip apart my soul. The part of me that had always been there. The one that wanted to take responsibility for it all. For the war. For the death. For all of it. It was all condensed into four words.

_"__It's all your fault."_

"It's not your fault."

That was Ahsoka.

I tore myself away from the self-loathing as we stopped under a low-bearing branch.

I couldn't help the words expelling from my throat, "If I hadn't let her come along, then maybe she could have–"

"Survived?" Ahsoka supplied.

I merely nodded.

Ahsoka took a deep breath, then put her entire body in front of me, "Cali did her duty. A _Jedi's _duty. Lyra told me she was one of the women who attacked us on Tatooine. If you were able to bring her to the light, then she became a Jedi under you. And, through your influence, she was able to finish the mission. If she hadn't, the explosives aboard the Galaxy Gun wouldn't have been primed. She helped save us all."

"But, what if I didn't launch the mission at all?" I nearly exclaimed, my heart heavy as the image of Cali's face passed in front of my eyes. Her purple eyes gleaming with eagerness to do right for the galaxy as a whole, to do right by me, her new teacher. "What if I had gone to Yoda and Obi Wan and told them. We could have launched a full-fledged operation and destroyed it before losing anyone."

"You don't know that." Ahsoka said firmly, "You did what you thought was best. That's all we can do."

"I should've done more." I said, my voice dropping an octave as I felt the monster writhe within, telling me to give into my sorrow, my pain, my burden. The burden that I knew I should've released into the Force at that moment.

Ahsoka had had enough of that conversation. She pressed her lips to mine, cutting off my words and sending my brain automatically into bliss, the pain washing away in a single second, but surfacing another second later. And, yet, I felt the understanding that she knew a kiss wouldn't fix it, but it comforted me in that moment.

She pulled back and gave me a small smile, "You did everything you could. You even gave yourself up."

"But, I'm back." I said. "She's not."

"She will always be alive as long as her memory persists in the hearts of those who cared." Ahsoka said. "And, we cared. We _care._"

We continued to walk for a few more minutes until I found the hut I was searching for. Reaching down into my memory, I replayed the two versions of the game that gave birth to the characters before me. In one version, the hut was on the beach, and in the other the hut was in the middle of an outcropping centered in the forest just south of the beach that was the final battle of Kashyyyk during the Clone War.

It seemed that Xbox was the more reliable choice.

"Is that it?" Ahsoka asked, unclipping her lightsabers as a precaution.

I gazed upon the hut. It was indeed the one we needed, yet there was something about it. And, then, I realized what it was. At this point in the original timeline, the hut was supposed to be in pieces, only held up by the remaining brylark pillars inside. However, this time, it was completely fine.

As I took a step forward, I felt the Force shift and the door to the hut opened up, a man stepping out. His self-woven hood was over his face, but I could see the lines of middle-age and the reflection of blue eyes. His tunic was custom woven by his own hands and a lightsaber hung at his waist. He looked more like a man who had aged by time rather than by war.

"Hello there." I said aloud, giving a smile.

"Hello." The man replied, no smile. "It seems you're lost, friend."

Ahsoka stepped forward, "We're just looking for someone."

"Well," The man relaxed slightly, almost imperceptibly, "you've found someone."

"Funny." I muttered to Ahsoka, then addressed the man in front of me, "My name is Jedi Master Blaze Marko and this is my partner, Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano."

The man's interest sparked through the Force, though in a small degree, "The former Padawan of the Chosen One, as I recalled hearing a long time ago."

Ahsoka nodded, "Yes, sir."

"And, we know that you are Kento Marek, former Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order." I said.

Kento's stance in the Force tightened, his instincts kicking into defensive mode.

"What do you want?" Kento asked curtly.

"Just assistance." I said softly, my hands up with palms outward, "We need to know if you've got a ship with a working hyperdrive."

I felt Ahsoka's confusion through the Force. I remembered that I had told her we needed Kento's help with the raid on Maul's base, but that hadn't been entirely the truth. It had been a quick-fire idea, but we needed his help in another way.

"No." Kento said, then sighed, "For a moment – a singular moment – I thought that Master Yoda had sent you to try to convince me to come back to the Order after all this time."

I smiled, drawing on my knowledge from my youth, "Trust me, Kento. I know why you left and what you've done since. I wouldn't dare try to take you from your family."

Kento removed his hood, revealing a head of blonde, buzz-cut hair and lines across his forehead, "Good."

My own interests got the better of me, "How is your family? Is your wife and son alright?"

Kento gave me a glance of confusion, "Why wouldn't they be?"

Inwardly, I sighed in relief. In the original timeline, Mallie Marek had been killed by Trandoshins and Kento was left to raise his child alone, his only company being the Wookiees that he befriended until Darth Vader killed them, including Kento.

And, having such knowledge was valuable for cover stories.

"I heard about Trandoshin raids in this area over the last several months." I lied, my presence in the Force resonating with conviction and truth. Ahsoka's presence didn't waver. I had felt the slight touch at the back of my mind, signaling that she was a part of the rouse now.

Kento seemed to buy it, "Yes. We repelled them with the surrounding tribes." He gestured upwards, "There was a close call recently, but a Wookiee named Chewbacca saved my wife before the Trando could finish her."

"Chewbacca?" Ahsoka echoed, "He's the Wookiee that helped me escape the Trandoshins during the Clone War. Remember?"

I nodded, knowing very well who he was. Inwardly, I couldn't help the spike of excitement in my chest. Then, my emotions heightened as a sense of nostalgia swept over. For a single moment, it felt like I was a child again, reading the information off of an old laptop that my mother had given me, or that old Nook tablet I bought when I was twelve.

"Now." Kento said. "Why do you need the ship?"

We gave Kento the run down on the events that transpired and his brow furrowed. He placed a hand up to his chin and said, "Well, _I _don't have a ship, but there is currently a ship over at the shoreland that way dropping off supplies."

"But, the Republic is aligned with this world and the only landing zone for supply ships is that way." Ahsoka pointed in the opposite direction.

"Yes, but the Republic isn't the only people the Wookiees trade with." Kento said, he moved slightly and Ahsoka and I could see a few crates that lied just beyond the entrance to the hut.

"Smugglers?" I raised a brow.

"Traders." Kento corrected. "People who ship faster for a slightly higher price. Fair deals as well. And, with my help, it's easier to navigate the ones who are here only for profit against the ones who truly want to help."

I cracked a smile, "Very Jedi of you."

"Once a Jedi, always a Jedi, right?" Kento smiled for the first time. It was small and almost forced, but it was genuine.

"Right." I said. "So, is it a reliable ship?"

Kento nodded, "Not pretty, but tough. She'll get you where you need to go. The pilot is young though. I'm sure he'll give you a ride but it won't be free."

I nodded, "Not a problem." I walked forward until I was directly in front of Kento and held my hand out, "It was good to finally meet you, Kento."

"Likewise." Kento shook the hand with a firm grip.

As we turned to leave, I couldn't help my curiosity, "Hey, Kento."

Kento faced me, "Yes?"

"Your son." I said, reaching into the depths of the Force and sensing Galen inside. And, true to the original, his power was off the charts for someone so young. I would have compared him to Anakin at this age, but there was no counter to help make the analysis. "Are you training him?"

"Someone has to." Kento said, "Why?"

"He's strong in the Force." I said. "I'd hate for that potential to go to waste."

Kento gave me a small look, then his features softened, "I agree. Until we meet again, Blaze Marko."

"Kento." I nodded my head and saw the hidden message behind his eyes.

Ahsoka and I took our leave and started the march back to where the _Beast _was. We were about halfway there when Ahsoka piped up.

"So, why do we need another ship?"

"Maul saw the _Beast_." I responded simply, "We need a vessel that isn't Republic, isn't ours, and isn't one he's prone to be suspicious about. If he's on Corellia, then he has access to cams that can see what comes and goes. I would hate to be found out before I can take him down."

"And, in addition, he might kill Claire if he sees you." Ahsoka said gravely, "You're right."

"I know I am." I smirked.

A small silence followed before I started to ask more questions.

"Do you think Rex has already sent the transmission through?" I asked.

"Yes." Ahsoka said. "But, I'm sure he was discrete on the details. Might as well let them figure it out when you get here."

After a few more minutes of walking, we arrived at the entrance of the underground labs. Rex was exiting out of the _Beast_ at that moment.

He caught sight fairly quickly and gave a wave. We waved back and made our way toward him.

When we were all together, Rex said, "Turbo, Kink, Wingman, and Jake are all on their way here. They're bringing some holo-transform disguise modules with them in case we need to impersonate anyone to get to Maul."

"Good thinking." I said, "How long?"

"Nine hours."

"And how long does it take to get to Corellia from here?"

Rex paused in thought, "I would have to guess roughly around ten. Slightly longer in distance."

I gave a single nod, adjusting the belt around my waist and taking account of my new lightsaber. It resembled my old one but it had a smoother surface and the surface grips had been replaced by three rows of black grip nubs. All in all, it was a worthy replacement.

"What's the plan now?" Rex asked.

I pointed in the direction of the trading outpost, "There's a ship that way delivering supplies through third party companies. We're not going to use the _Beast_. It's too recognizable. And, since we can't let the Republic or the Jedi Order know about this mission, we have to find another means of transportation. We just have to convince the pilot."

"Let's hope he's reasonable." Rex mumbled, running a hand through his beard, "I've met some scumbag pilots in my day."

"You can say that again." Ahsoka laughed, then her lips turned upwards, "Ladies first."

I picked up Rex with the Force and put him in front of us, "He volunteers."

Rex deadpanned, "Some things never change."

* * *

The walk to the Trading Outpost took approximately nineteen minutes from the _Beast. _The heat wasn't oppressive, but it was enough to put sweat on all three of our heads. I wiped away a trail just as I reached the landing platform. When my eyes locked onto the ship that Kento had said was there, my eyes widened in abject surprise.

It was no secret that Palpatine's defeat caused a ripple that made the timeline I resided in different from the original. However, due to that fact, there were things I knew as fact and things that continued to surprise me. The ship only meters away was one such surprise.

"What a piece of junk." Rex muttered, his eyes fixed on a rear panel that was coming off its hinges, "It's falling apart."

Rex walked over and pressed his arms onto the metal plate until it clicked back into place. He gave the ship a pat on the hull before he took a step back, "Corellian model."

"YT-1300." I clarified, "Light freighter." _The Falcon._

"And, the fastest ship in the galaxy." A voice said from to the left. A young man with wavy brown hair and a leather vest to match his persona came over, pushing an empty repulsor lift. He stopped the lift and pulled off his brown gloves, "Can I help you?"

I was at a loss for words for a minute before my mouth stated to work, "I'm sorry. Are…is your name Han Solo?"

The young man, and I knew it was Han now, gave a puzzled look, "Who's asking?"

Ahsoka took a step forward, a smile on her face as she gave a polite bow, "Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano." She gestured to myself and Rex, "My companions, Jedi Master Blaze Marko and Captain Rex of the 501st battalion."

Han Solo raised his eye brows slightly, "I didn't think I'd warranted the attention of the Republic, let alone the Jedi."

"We weren't searching for you specifically." Ahsoka said. "However, we _could _use your help."

"Well, my schedule is pretty booked." Han said, a bit lackadaisically, "I'm about to make my next run."

"Is it possible we could make a stop?" Ahsoka asked.

My attention drifted to the ship.

_The Millennium Falcon. In the flesh. And, here I thought it would still be in the hands of Lando Calrissian. Lando is several years older than Han so Han shouldn't get control of the Falcon for another few years. Something must have sped it up._

I came back to the scene as Han answered, "I don't really give out rides to people I don't know. Especially not for free."

"Who said it was for free?" I raised an eyebrow, tapping my wrist com and pulled up a graph. I pushed a few keys and turned the display towards him, "Twenty thousand."

Han blinked in disbelief, "For one ride."

"Yes. But, we have more passengers on the way. When they arrive, we can leave." I said, closing down the hologram. I crossed my arms over my chest and felt Han out through the Force. His attitude was exactly that of what I would expect of an eighteen-year-old, but there was a slightly softer tune that he was spinning. It didn't come off in his tone but in his body language.

Then, his body language changed, "How many?"

"Four more." I answered.

"Obviously you have a ship. I can see the ignition key on that old guy's waist." Han said, gesturing to Rex.

Rex's face twisted in annoyance, "Old guy?"

I waved Rex down and tipped my chin, "We are trying to avoid detection. We have to track down someone. He has a valuable item and he kidnapped my friend."

"We only want a ride to the system." Ahsoka said, her arm locking with mine, "After we are on the ground, we don't need anything else."

Han was silent for a moment before he gave a sigh, "Where are you going?"

"Corellia." Rex said.

Immediately, Han shook his head, "No deal."

"Why?" I asked. "Trouble waiting there for you?"

"More like I promised myself I wouldn't go back." Han said, his voice hard and full of remembrance. "I'm sorry. I can't help you."

I took a step forward and Han immediately put his hand on his blaster, his all defining DL-44.

"Really?" I gave him a lazy look, "You're gonna shoot me?"

"Not if you don't make me." Han said. "And, don't think about using any of your Jedi mind tricks on me. I can resist those. They only work on the weak minded."

"I wouldn't try." I said, then frowned hard at him, "But, we had a deal. You can split the moment we are off the ship. You'll get your money now and that'll be the end of it."

As Han opened up his mouth to respond, a loud howl came from behind him. I looked past the young smuggler and saw a giant figure approach, clad in thick fur.

"Chewbacca!" Han, Ahsoka, and I said all in unison.

I blinked. _So, they also met? And are working together!? _

"You know Chewie?" Han asked, an eyebrow raised.

Chewbacca walked over to me and gave a tilt of his head, then he gave a big smile followed by a howl of friendship as he lifted me into his arms, encompassing me in a bear hug. I embraced the Wookiee before he put me down on the ground.

He growled out a phrase in Shyriwook and I scratched my head, "Sorry, buddy. I don't have my earpiece I can't tell what you're saying."

"Blaze." Ahsoka chuckled before throwing her own earpiece at me.

I caught it and laughed. _That's right. She can speak Wookiee. _

I pressed the side button once it was in, and the digital display exploded in front of my eyes. All the alerts flung away with a thought of my mind, only displaying the subtitles of whoever was currently speaking to me.

"Again." I prompted the Wookiee and he spoke.

[I asked what you were doing here, Jedi Marko.] Chewbacca said. [It has been many moons since I last saw you.]

I scratched the back of my head, "Yeah. Sorry about that pal. First it was Jedi duties, then I died, but now I'm here!" I threw an arm around his shoulders and pulled him down slightly, "Hey. Is there any chance you could convince Han to give us a lift to Corellia?"

Chewbacca gave a nod then turned to Han, taking him to the side. I didn't pay attention to their conversation, but it didn't last more than a minute or two. When they were done, Chewbacca came back over.

[It is settled for the payment.] Chewbacca growled.

I nodded my head and gave the Wookiee a big smile, "Thanks, bud."

Chewbacca shook his head, [No thanks necessary. I had a debt to pay, remember?]

In fact, I did remember. During the Trandoshin crisis that started with Ahsoka's capture, the timeline had tried to diverge. The final battle aboard the helicarrier nearly proved fatal for Chewbacca. There was a moment when he was fighting with another Trandoshin and he was left open to a deathblow. In the original timeline, he killed the Trandoshin _before _it ever got that far. This time, however, the tables were turned. I had just barely been able to see the blaster come up in Chewie's direction. I had reached through the Force and crushed the barrel of the gun, causing it to backfire and explode, killing the Trandoshin. Chewbacca had mentioned his debt back then, but I waved it off.

_Well, now, it comes in handy to have favors from a Wookiee._ I thought, looking over to Han, whose face was none too happy about the thought of going back to where he used to be a boy on the streets.

I looked at Ahsoka and nodded my head. She returned the gesture and downloaded the funds onto a data chip and threw it at me. I swiped it out of mid-air.

Walking up to Han, I held the chip out, "Here. You get it in advance."

Han merely stared at the chip, "Who are you going after?" His eyes caught my own and I was surprised at the hardness in those young eyes. Of course, I knew all about Han's childhood and teen years, but his course had changed when he got the _Falcon._

Yet, there was something else in his eyes. I gazed farther beyond the hard stare and saw…interest. Interest in the current situation. It wasn't driven by profit, but it also wasn't driven solely by the kindness in his heart. He just wanted to know.

So, never one to beat around the bush, I told him, "We are going to take down the leader of the Dusk. He nearly killed me and he kidnapped my friend, Claire. That's why we need the right. My ship will draw too much attention and we don't know who to trust other than our group, so we lay low. And, your ship is Corellian in nature, so no one will blink when they realize you're a native. Especially not _him._"

Han processed the information, then chuckled, "You must either really like your friend, or you really hate their leader."

"A little bit of both." I admitted. "The leader is an old adversary and the friend saved my life a couple years back."

"I know I wouldn't stick my neck out for someone who saved me _years _ago." Han said with a wave of his hand, "This galaxy is dangerous enough without adding unnecessary risks to the equation, but your life is your life, friend."

While I didn't like his mindset, I respected his opinion and simply nodded when the time came, "Thank you, Han."

"Yeah. Sure." He said, then resumed pushing the lifter back into his ship, muttering to himself quietly.

* * *

The next nearly nine hours passed by fast. It felt like I was looking at the sand on the beaches one second, and a Republic shuttle was landing on the platform to the south of me the next.

However, even with the prospect of my brother, I couldn't find myself able to move. I was far too deep in my own thoughts. And, through those thoughts, I could feel the Force pushing for me to open the door. The door that led to the past. It was giving me the opportunity to use the technique called Flow Walking and see what had happened in Cali's last moments. I couldn't _physically_ see the door that led to the past, but it was damn near tangible in my mind's eye.

I folded my fingers together as I looked out onto the vast sea. The waves were rising and falling in the distance, occasionally smashing into each other at high speeds. Strangely enough, it was peaceful.

And, yet, the foreboding of the past continued to knock at my door.

_No. _I thought, closing my eyes tightly. _If I open that door right now, I'll lose my focus. Maul first. Cali after. _

But, truthfully, the door was the only thing I wanted to do in that moment. I wanted to slam it wide open and feel the currents of time engulf me until I was back at the Galaxy Gun, so I could see with my own eyes. She deserved so much, but she was one of the only to leave the physical world.

And, deep down, I knew there was nothing I could do to fix it. The power to bring someone back to life only worked if I had the physical body on hand. The only reason that Siri came back to the land of the living was because Qui-Gon sacrificed a substantial part of his own spirit to make that happen, though I didn't realize it till later during the six years of relative peace before the Shadow War.

I clenched my hands into fists until I felt my nails biting into my skin. _I'm sorry, Cali. Truly, I am._

Then, I felt the Force nudge me in a different way. Almost as if it was telling me to turn around.

I did as it suggested and saw a young man standing there with short, auburn hair. His outfit was a dark brown tunic and pants with a black robe and a lightsaber hanging on his leather belt. My gaze came to his eyes and I saw the tears welling up and recognition flashed in front of my face. The last of my _blood. _

"Jake." I breathed out, getting to my feet.

He approached me, and when he was at arm's length he gave a small smile, "I knew you wouldn't abandon me…" he swallowed harshly before continuing, "I _knew _it."

I reached out and enveloped him into a hug, "I'm sorry, Jake. I had to make a choice."

Jake nodded, "I just hope it was the right one."

"Well, everyone's still alive." I chuckled, releasing the young man who used to be my little brother. It shocked me that he was as aged as he was. It had only been two years and yet he looked like he was close to my own age, though I had the added benefit of being in the rejuvenation tank so I still looked the same.

As I opened my mouth again to speak, I heard someone clear their throat. I looked past everyone else, including my own troopers, and saw Han standing there. His arms were crossed and he sighed, "This is very touching but can we get moving along? I'm already behind on my schedule."

Jake gawked, "Is that who I think it is? But much younger?"

I nodded and threw my arm around Jake's shoulder, "We've got a lot to talk about."


	9. Chapter 8: Bad Bounty

Chapter 8:

**BAD BOUNTY**

Reuniting with Turbo, Wingman, and Kink was the first thing I did when I was aboard the _Falcon_. Then, I talked more with Jake, learning about how his life had been the past couple of years. He had been on missions that had taken him to the Outer Rim and even slightly into the Unknown Regions, but his life had been simple. It was hard to hear about how he took my death and it made me compelled to hold him for a fraction longer, letting him know that I wasn't going anywhere anymore.

And, I meant that.

_Wrath. _

He hadn't been on my mind until I gazed upon Jake. The age that my brother had taken on was a factor of what Wrath had done that day. Through the Dark Influence, Anakin was shut down and the new personality, called Vader, took over his body. The battle was rough and, even though he was dead, Wrath's plan had come to fruition. In the end, he just wanted me dead.

And, die I did.

After talking a bit about the plan, Ahsoka suggested that we take a break from the talks for a few hours to get some rest for the battle to come. The clone troopers followed orders, and Jake decided to sit at the holo-desk and look at the sewer system that lied underneath a few of the cities that surrounded Coronet and see if they led somewhere, like a focal point.

It was a good idea. If the sewer lines led to a singular obtrusion, then it was more than possible that Maul was using that as a hideout.

According to Ahsoka, Corellia had decided not to be a part of the Republic many years prior, unbeknownst to me. They had objected due to the fact that their pride had gotten the better of them and they thought that they could survive on their own. And, in truth, it was true. There were a vast number of cities and sectors that did very well, but there were also those who suffered greatly. But, if they weren't a part of the Republic, they could do what they wished. Thus, they were in this position.

Han and Chewbacca had retreated to the cockpit and Ahsoka and I made our way to the back room of the Falcon, where the corridor opened up into a spacious room with beds attached to the sides of the walls stayed. I took notice on how nice the Falcon actually looked, meaning that Han hadn't been in possession of the vessel for long.

On instinct, I did a run around of the room, feeling against the side hatches for any type of audio or surveillance equipment. If Han hadn't owned the Falcon for long then he had probably not checked it for the security measures that Lando would have installed.

But, luckily, I found none.

"Maybe he's more thorough than I thought." I mumbled to myself before turning back to Ahsoka, "We're all good."

Ahsoka nodded and pushed a button on the wall panel closest to her. The bed that laid underneath a ceiling light jutted out slightly and she pulled it out completely, sitting down on it once it was ready. She patted the side for me to follow her lead, so I did.

Ahsoka spoke first, "This incursion is going to take all of us working together, you know. Even Han."

"He's not going to be too happy to hear that." I said.

"No. He's not." Ahsoka shrugged, "But, he's the one who was born on Corellia, right? He knows the terrain far better than we do. Or, at least all of us besides you."

I tapped the side of my head, then let my hand fall back down to lay on top of hers, "Thank my mother for giving me my photographic memory. It's how I've been able to remember all this information despite it being seven…_nine _years."

One of Ahsoka's fingers intertwined with my index finger and I felt the cooling waves of her presence coalesce with mine, steadying the sadness I suddenly felt.

"Do you miss your home planet?" Ahsoka asked. "You never talked about it much."

I couldn't help but give a noncommittal shrug, "Not really. Life wasn't that good back then. It was a boring cycle and I never felt I was being used to my full potential. Hell, I was doing geometry homework when Dooku showed up behind me."

Ahsoka chuckled, "And, then, you met us."

"Imagine my surprise when Dooku told me to fight y'all." I smiled at the memory. "'Oh, I don't want to do this.'" I mimicked Ahsoka's words from the past.

"'I'm sorry.'" Ahsoka mimicked me right back.

We shared a laugh that lasted for a handful of seconds before silence took hold again. My hand had become completely taken by hers and it now rested on her thigh, the rhythmic beating of her pulse being felt even from there.

I took a deep breath, "I'm sorry the first thing we are doing is fighting again."

Ahsoka's other hand came to my cheek and her lips turned upwards in a soft smile that held so much warmth it threatened to scorch the air, "I know. But, we have to. It's kinda our thing at this point."

"From the Nexu to Maul." I said. "Oh, how the times have changed."

"And, they'll keep changing when you come back to Coruscant." Ahsoka smiled, "This time, it'll be for the better. I promise."

I chuckled, "I hope so. I'm kind of tired of terrible surprises at this point. Though, waking up was a great one. I'll give it that."

Ahsoka nodded in agreement, then held her left hand up, showing the silver band wrapped around her ring finger. My heart swelled in intense emotion and I breathed out the breath I hadn't noticed I had been holding in my lungs.

"It's never left my hand." Ahsoka said softly, "Never will."

I kissed the side of her face, "You'll never need to now."

Ahsoka took her left hand and ran it through my hair, scratching my head slightly. Then, it came to the back of my head and stayed there as our eyes met again. There had been a lot that had happened in such a short span of time, but it was the never-changing look in her eyes that continued to baffle me.

"Anakin." Ahsoka nearly whispered. "He blames himself. I know that's why he went to Naboo with his family."

I nodded, remembering the intense duel with Wrath, and then the fight with Vader.

"It's not his fault." I said firmly. "The Dark Influence can turn anyone."

That thought seemed to spur Ahsoka's mind onto another mindset, "Then, why didn't Wrath use it on you?"

I opened my mouth to open, but no words came out.

_Because it wouldn't work. _I thought. For some reason, I _knew _that was the truth, but why?

After a handful of seconds, I spoke, "I don't know. Maybe he didn't think it would work."

Ahsoka nodded slowly, then her face scrunched up slightly in question, "But, if it could create other personalities over top of the original, as you once told me, then you wouldn't be able to resist."

"Which is why when Wrath died, Vader came out. It was laced to a trigger." I said, the cogs starting to turn faster in my head. "He couldn't control it. It wasn't his fault. As for me, I don't know. I'd ask Wrath, but that's done with."

Ahsoka patted my hand, "And, your connection to the Force beyond the living? The power you've used before?"

"To go to the other side?" I asked, then sighed, "It doesn't work like that. I…I can't just jump over. I would need someone on that side to help me over."

"Like Master Jinn." Ahsoka said. "And, why don't you try to contact him while we are in transit?"

I stayed silent, feeling something in my soul rumble slightly at her words. It was strange. I couldn't say it aloud, but I knew why I couldn't do it. So, using my words, I answered.

"Ever since I woke up," I started, "my connection to the Force is…different. It's as if I know all these abilities, all these techniques, and all these moves…but my body doesn't." I clenched my free hand a few times, electricity sparking between my fingers. And, I felt the _pain. _

"It's probably because you've been asleep for so long." Ahsoka said softly, "It has to be that. Is that why you won't try?"

I nodded, "I'm afraid if I do try and it fails then I'll be worse off."

Ahsoka closed her eyes and her presence pushed outward, engulfing the entire room. I could feel it poking and prodding at the power that laid inside of me. Honestly, it felt as if she was cradling my heart in her hands and looking it over thoroughly, taking care of it like it was a new born puppy.

Then, her presence retreated suddenly. Her eyes snapped open and she released a small sigh, "You're right. There _is _something different."

I nodded, already feeling the change grow. I quelled the noise within the back of my head and reached back into myself, feeling the power swell back and forth. However, the power started to push back against my presence, effectively telling me that it didn't know who I was.

"I don't know what's going on." I said lowly. "I know Claire saved me, but she didn't explain how. She said she found me in a crater on Kashyyyk with my blue lightsaber crystal in my hand. Then, I woke up in a rejuvenation tank two years later."

Ahsoka pondered this for a moment, "So, do you think that it's possible that she put you into a healing trance and it had adverse effects?"

"No." I shook my head, lighting crackling louder now at my fingertips, "If it was that, I would still feel like it was _my _body. This feels…alien. I remember everything about my abilities. It all just feels so…" I paused, searching for the words as my eyes stared at the wall in front of me.

"Distant?" Ahsoka supplied.

"Yeah." I said. "That's the word I'm looking for. Distant. But, that's what the truth feels like as well: distant. It's just out of my reach."

"When we rescue her, we will ask." Ahsoka said, resting her head on my shoulder as she brought the back of my hand to her mouth in a small peck, then her hand tightened around mine, "And, we'll put Maul away for good. Two birds with one stone."

"He won't be easy to beat this time, Ahsoka." I frowned, "He's gotten good."

"He was always good." Ahsoka mumbled.

I stayed still, but I could feel the muscles in my neck tense, "Like I said before. He has the darksaber Kyber Shard. He moves so fast it's like he can teleport."

"Well, it's a good thing I've kept up my katas." Ahsoka joked lightly, "The basics are the things that people tend to forget, making it the thing that people get wumped by."

As I opened my mouth to tell her that it wasn't a time to be joking, I swallowed my tongue. She was right. Most people _did _forget the basics. In the deep recesses of my mind, I recalled the memories of my childhood. Specifically, I remembered an old movie called _Real Steel_. It was a robot boxing movie. In the end of the movie, it was the simple attacks which all robots learned in the beginning of their training that allowed the main character robot, Atom, to beat the champion bot of the world.

"Regardless, love." I sighed gently, "We need to proceed with the utmost caution. He might think I'm dead, but he knows there will be repercussions for his actions. If I had to guess, I would think he'll send bounty hunters after you."

"He wouldn't dare pick a fight with the Republic." Ahsoka protested from her position. "He said so himself."

"But, we aren't _with _the Republic." I said pointedly. "And, he knows it. He knows that we won't go to the Republic with this because of the secrecy of the facility on Kashyyyk." Lightning crackled slightly as my emotions rose a bit, "He knows we have no one else to go to."

Ahsoka's emotions matched my own, "Coward. He can never fight us on equal ground."

"He's lost so many times, Ahsoka." I said. "This time, he's making sure that all his pieces in place before he finally puts his plan into action."

"What's his plan? Our deaths?" Ahsoka asked.

"I'm sure that's part of it." I frowned hard, more lightning starting to grow stronger around my palm, the feeling of pain starting to slip away. My powers were starting to fix itself within my body, but I knew that it wouldn't be as easy as it was at that moment. It would take far more to re-establish the body-power relationship. That line of thought led to Claire.

I couldn't help but think that she had kept something vital from me. Bumps spread across my skin, the hair sticking up into the air as a feeling passed over my senses, a chill running down my back.

"But," I continued. "I think his_ true_ plan is to use the shards with the Holocron of Fate and gain power beyond anything we've seen. I just don't know _what _power he thinks he's gonna get."

Ahsoka shrugged, "Beats me. We won't let him, though."

"We _can't._" I mumbled.

The lighting seemed to dim for a moment, but it was only my perception. The Force swelled around us, circulating through our mortal bodies and lifting our spirits as cool energy cycled the way it did. The Force was all. Binding. Penetrating. Comforting. Balancing.

_Is that why I'm alive? _I thought. _The balance?_

The Force was self-regulating. The Force _was _balance. However, I realized that I hadn't helped put that balance into existence. The only way there would be true balance would be to do what I did aboard the GG: face my darkness and accept that it would always be there, but know that through discipline and heart I could prevail.

My eyes went to my hand as the last vestiges of lightning crackled away into the air, lighting up the particles floating through the air before dissolving into nothing. The technique of Force Lightning was developed by the Sith by using the hatred within to manifest into a painful wave of energy. During the Clone War, I had learned to conjure lightning without using the Dark Side, but I had used the Dark Side to create lighting since then.

The battle with Cultrous. The battle with Wrath. During that war, the Dark Side had been subtly informing me of the power I was taking for granted. It was only when I killed Cultrous did I realize that the power I had was dangerous, but it could be used for the greater good rather than the greater evil.

The Dark Side was simple, seductive, and easy. The Light Side was rewarding, pure, and hard to achieve. It was always easier to be evil than it was to be good. The decision, however, had been made when I was four years old. It was that day when I saw someone bully a kid my age that I decided that I would never become that guy.

But, I had been. During the wars, I had killed many people. Some that I knew I could have taken into custody or rendered unconscious. The thrill of battle had taken root in my heart and mind, making me remember Yoda's words from a movie long ago.

_"__Adventure. Excitement. A Jedi craves not these things."_

A thought dawned on me.

"Am I able to be a Jedi?" I whispered aloud.

Ahsoka heard that, "What?"

"After all of this," I started, "am I able to be a Jedi?"

"I don't understand, Blaze."

"I still remember when I tapped into the Dark Side fully." I said, remembering melting Cultrous on Mandalore and using it to slice off one of Wrath's arms. "What's to say that I won't use it against Maul?"

Ahsoka sat up now, lifting herself off my arm. She stood up and took a place in front of me, hands on my knees, but she did not lean towards me. She stayed rooted where she was.

Her face took on a firm look, "That power is part of what all beings have. _You _are the one who taught me that if we fear that part of ourselves, then we give it more control over ourselves."

I chuckled slightly, "That was before I actually used that power. It felt…good. I was able to not feel actually. I didn't care. I just wanted to win." I met her eyes, "I'm not afraid of it. It just is intoxicating."

"So is nerf steak if you haven't had it in several years." Ahsoka retorted, "Everything can suck you in and pull you too far, but you're _Blaze Marko. _You taught the Jedi that love strengthens and that there is always an end to the death." She lifted a hand and placed it on her chest, "You convinced me that the Jedi code was wrong."

I took a deep breath. As always, she was right. She knew me better than I knew myself at times.

"And," she continued, giving a small, warm smile, "if you can convince me, you can convince yourself."

"You're right." I whispered, filling my chest with air, "I just need to train it before I use that power again."

Ahsoka nodded, placing her hand back on my knee, "Yes. But, first, Maul." She nodded to my lightsaber, "You said something about that crystal back on Kashyyyk. That it's one of the Kyber Shards. If Maul can access his powers, then, why can't you?"

I put a hand to my chin, "If I had to guess, then I would have to say that he's _known _about the shard and therefore had a reason to go through intense training to harness the power. I, however, had no fucking idea." But, then in a moment of clarity that surpassed all moments that turned on the proverbial brain lights, I looked at my right hand and summoned lighting, watching the slits between my fingers flare up with white shards of light.

"Or," I whispered in revelation, "maybe I've been using it this whole time."

Ahsoka saw the lighting and raise an eyebrow, "Lightning?"

I shook my head, getting to my feet and grabbing her shoulders gently, "No. _My power_."

Ahsoka blinked, "The Force?"

"Yeah. No wonder I've been able to use it since I was a kid. It merged with my being when you gave me the crystals!" I nearly exclaimed. "They were two halves of the Kyber Shard that is now in my new saber."

Ahsoka blinked again, her mouth slightly falling open, "_I _gave you that shard?!"

"Unwittingly." I smiled wide, "But, that must explain it!"

Ahsoka's face turned slightly disbelieving as she spoke, "But, Ziv and Jake also can use the Force."

I nodded, then remembered what they had been before I saved them, "The Dark Influence."

Ahsoka nodded slowly, catching the thought, "They had been subjected to the Dark Influence beforehand. That's right. Ziv was Darth Maltus. And your brother was Darth Zalixus. And, you were able to purge the other personalities, but it left their abilities intact." She held a finger up in the air, "But, that still doesn't explain _why _it stayed. How did two non-Force users gain access to the Force after the fact?"

Both Ahsoka and I came to the conclusion at the same time.

"The Dark Influence was powered by a Kyber Shard!" We exclaimed together.

"It all makes sense." I said. "What else could have the power to give normal beings access to the Force other than the crystals that were there at the beginning of time?"

"Nothing." Ahsoka smiled, then frowned, "Where is the Dark Influence now?"

"It was aboard the Galaxy Gun." I said, matching her frown, "And, the Galaxy Gun exploded…"

"Yes." Ahsoka said, her tone one of great thought, "It's already been proven that they can survive an explosion of that magnitude, love. The green shard lies with Huyang as an example."

"Not to mention the one I was clutching in my hand when I got to Kashyyyk." I matched her tone. "And, now that I think about it, Maltus' crystal could control the shadows and gave Cultrous the power of some type of black hole. Is it possible?" I looked to Ahsoka for conformation.

Never one to hide what she was feeling, Ahsoka nodded gravely, "That Maltus' crystal was also one of the shards? Yes. It would seem so."

I blew out a breath that turned into a whistle, "So, all five of those shards were in the same place at the same time and we had no idea."

"I don't think anyone did." Ahsoka said. "Wrath only knew for a fact of three: the one Maltus first had, the one inside the Dark Influence, and the green one that powered the super laser. Otherwise, he would have taken your crystals when he captured you on the Galaxy Gun. Lyra told me they just locked your weapons in a detention center security box."

"They did. You're right." I said.

Ahsoka nodded, then her face turned ashen, "You don't think Maul is actually _counting _on us coming to him, are you? To collect the shards?"

I shook my head, "No. I think he knows you'll find him and he'll kill you. That's his plan. However, for the Holocron of Fate I can assume he'll use his newfound power to control all the crime families, and then he'll strike at the Republic while using his Kyber Shard to gain the upper hand in battle."

"If the Holocron amplifies his powers, then he could theoretically teleport inside our capital ships and rip them apart from inside." Ahsoka said. "We have to stop him before he can get inside that box."

I gave a single nod, fixing my arm guards, "That's the plan. Claire will hold out as long as she can, I'm sure of it. He's not getting into that box without her help."

"She'll be tortured." Ahsoka said lowly, her presence touching mine.

"She can take it." I said firmly, "She has to. For the galaxy's sake."

* * *

Before any of us knew it, the ten hours were up and Corellia materialized in front of us. However, we expected to see the far away landscape of a planet that had a cold side, a warm side, and an industrial center. Instead, we saw twelve attack vessels in front of us as our movement stopped. And, sure enough, in the middle of the group was a ship I could never forget.

Ahsoka and I had reached the cockpit of the Falcon mere minutes before we dropped out of hyperspace. I had a hand on the pilot's chair as I caught sight of the ships in front of us and squeezed it slightly, "Is that Fett?"

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes slightly as Jake came through the door behind her, "I think it is."

Han turned around to face us, "_Boba Fett?!_ The bounty hunter?"

Ahsoka shook her head, "The leader of Mandalore."

Han gave a snort, "Maybe in his free time. Everyone knows he's the most dangerous bounty hunter in the galaxy."

Ahsoka and I shared a quick look between each other, confusion on both of our faces. Jake spoke up from behind, "Fett went back to bounty hunting a while ago. Bo Kotan is _Manda'lor _now."

"Why didn't anyone tell us?" Ahsoka asked, "Are they not still part of the Republic?"

Jake shrugged, "If I know anything about Mandalorians, it's that their business they try to keep secluded within their walls."

Through the Force, I could feel the tense presences of many battle-hardened individuals. The Force projected every individual in a different pattern, or sometimes it would be in a different color. It was never physical. The color that shone through would be in the back of the mind, just beyond the sight that manifested into the physical realm.

And, ninety-nine percent of the Mandalorians in front of us were shrouded in the color dark gray. The fog of the presences swirled around in my thoughts, peeling away until I felt the three presences aboard that made me question their intentions.

"Fett." I whispered, reaching a hand out toward the command dash. I pressed a button, "Fett."

There was static for a moment before a voice came to life, _"I'll make this easy. Hand over Ahsoka Tano and we will leave you in one piece. If not, then prepare to suffer the consequences."_

From beside me, Ahsoka scoffed and leaned forward, "Hello to you too, Fett."

_"__Nothing personal."_ Fett's cold voice echoed across the channel. _"There's a contract on you."_

"You realize that you will be in violation of the Joint Accords?" Ahsoka asked, leaning a bit more forward, staring out towards the Slave I. "The Republic will not take kindly to this."

_"__I left Mandalore in charge of Bo Kotan. She has no idea of what is about to transpire, therefore, she cannot be in violation."_ Fett said back, voice like ice. _"I act on my own accord."_

"Then, at the very least, the Jedi Order will prosecute you. They'll hunt you down and take you into custody." Ahsoka said. "You'll be found guilty of murder and imprisoned forever."

_"__Who said anything about murdering you?"_ Fett asked, confused.

Ahsoka blinked, then started again, "I know who hired you. It's easy to see now. Especially since we are in front of his planet."

Through the Force, I could feel the collective surprise on those aboard the Slave I. It was as if they were looking at one another to obtain some type of additional information, but none of them had it.

"What was the price?" I asked.

Fett was still for a moment before his presence shifted, _"…Marko?"_

I nodded to him through the visor port, "Yes, Fett. Me."

_"__You were dead."_ Fett was genuinely surprised. I couldn't blame him. There weren't many people would come back from something like that. And, considering his Mandalorian Task Force was present at the final battle, he had good reason to be unbelieving, skeptical at the very least.

"I was." I confirmed, "But, you know you can't keep me down for long."

_"__I know all too well. When did you get back?"_

"It's been literally a day." I said, a little exasperate. "Also, I don't really appreciate you taking a contract on my wife, especially if it's from Maul."

_"__The Dusk contacted me. One of their representatives. I was unaware that Maul was the leader. He should be dead as well." _Fett said.

Ahsoka joined in, "It's a surprise to us too, Fett. But, we're here to stop him and rescue our friend. It's just bad luck that he hired you to take me. He probably thinks Blaze is dead again because they've already fought. Then, he needed to have me delivered to him because Rex and I were the only people who knew he was still around."

_"__Were?"_

Jake laughed slightly, "Now me and the boys are involved."

_"__That's that annoying brother of yours, isn't it, Marko?"_

I shrugged, "I would say energetic but yes that's him. Plus three of my old clone squad. We've come to stop him."

_"__And, he put the contract out to me to stop your attempt. He's afraid."_

That was true. Maul would only hire someone to take out Ahsoka if he thought that she actually posed a threat to him, Kyber Shard or not. If he thought I was alive too, then he would make doubly sure that he hired someone who had the potential to kill Jedi. Boba Fett was that man.

"So, let's turn the tables on him." Ahsoka said, almost in an _ah-ha_ tone.

Fett was silent.

I looked at Ahsoka and took her hand off the communication button, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Have Fett help us raid the compound when we find it?" Ahsoka smirked, reaching a hand up to gently tap my cheek, "Way ahead of you, Blaze."

Fett came back, _"One million."_

My eyes widened and I reached for the button, "Excuse me?"

_"__My price."_ Fett said. _"I'm no idiot, Tano. I know what your plan is. You want to divert our forces to attack wherever he is holed up at."_

Ahsoka blinked in genuine surprise, "You've become good at anticipating your allies."

_"__Don't presume we are friends."_ I could feel Fett's deep frown, _"However, you're right. I'm no monster. I understand that if Maul continues to exist, the Dusk will plague and trick others. That might cause me trouble. And, I hate the unnecessary weight to carry. But, I've got to get something out of this. One million. Unmarked."_

I groaned, "Fine. But, this is a retrieve and capture. Kill everyone else _but _Maul." I reached over and pulled out the data chip that had Claire's message. I pressed it into the data-port, "This is what our friend looks like. If your Mandos see her, grab her and go. Leave Maul to us."

_"__You act as if I haven't fought a Force user before."_ Fett said, sounding slightly offended.

"Don't be dumb, Fett." I rolled my eyes, "I know you have. However, Maul is in possession of some…sensitive tech that could create major problems for you and your men."

Fett cleared his throat, _"Fine. Leave his men to me. However, if I run into him and he comes after me, I'll kill him without hesitation, so you better be ready."_

I nodded, "We will. Thank you, Fett."

_"__My credits will be thanks enough."_ The comm unit shut down.

Jake nudged my arm with his elbow, "He's still as cheerful as ever."

I looked at him, nodded, then toward Turbo and the others, "Ready for another bout, boys?"

"It's just good to see you alive and well." Turbo responded, then he unsheathed both his blaster pistols, "Just tell me where to point."

I gave him a thumbs up, then turned to Han in the pilot seat, "Just gonna need one more favor from you, Han."

Han groaned loudly, then turned to face me, "What do you need?"

I pulled out a holo-projection off my wrist comm with a few taps of the keys. The image showed the schematics of the sewer systems, but there were areas that were blacked out and some had been completely distorted to look like dead-ends.

"Tell us how to get through this without him knowing."

"I hate the sewers." Han said, then proceeded to explain.


	10. Chapter 9: Battlement

Chapter 9:

**BATTLEMENT**

The last time my eyes laid upon Corellia was - and for a moment I had to think clearly of the timeframe – when I was nineteen. Back then, it had been a vacation spot for Ahsoka and I. Coronet city had become something of a hustle and bustle among the elite of the galaxy, so it wasn't too far-fetched to say that I would've loved to visit. So, we did.

The peaceful vacation turned into a shamble as people aboard our maglev train were killed and we had to find out who murdered them. When it turned out to be the old man who gave me a book, I was more than shocked. He had told me that the people he killed were part of an illegal drug operation that had something to do with why his wife had died.

In fear of what he thought we would do, the old man tried to kill both me and Ahsoka. We defended ourselves and cornered him into one of the cargo holds. It was only then when he jumped out of the cargo hatch, killing himself. What was supposed to be relaxful turned to be sad. In the hours after, we gave our reports to the local police and to the Council. Then, we continued on with our vacation.

We had a grand time. Laughing. Skiing. Eating all types of foods. We even jumped from building to building throughout the city while throwing lightsabers at each other, marveling at how brilliant they looked in the dark of night.

Now, it was a different story. Maul was there. He needed to be brought down. And, coincidentally enough, his hidden base was in an abandoned sewage storage room. They were reinforced with a steel-titanium alloy that allowed maximum protection on top of the rock-face above. There were only a few ways into that base, but Han had pointed out that there were a few plugged up holes on the hologram. However, he explained that from the scan that the Falcon had taken on descent, the physical properties of the plugged holes did not match what the hologram said, and the hologram was new, meaning that they weren't plugged at all. They were open. They might have been closed off from the outside, but the inside was still vacant, meaning it was one more entrance for our teams to move through.

Fett was holding up in the atmosphere, well out of scanner range. When we had conformation of an attack pattern, he would create a distraction. However, he had leant us a pair of Mandalorians to help with the infiltration if needed. Fett knew well that help wasn't something we needed often, but he also knew that it was due to that lack of help that I had died and many Jedi had met that same fate during the Shadow War.

In the main common area, I glanced over to the side at the two Mandalorian women. The taller one had her helmet on, but the shorter one did not. Her hair was a mix between blonde and purple tied up into a bun at the back of her head, her eyes shining a crystal blue. Her demeanor was taut and tight, but there was no malice behind it. Her battle sense was evident to all, her right hand hanging next to her blaster pistol.

Captain Rex and Turbo walked through the hallway entrance and Rex sighed, "My guess is that the only way to get through to the center would be through the backway."

I nodded, "Yeah, but if we all go then Maul will sense us." I looked at Ahsoka and Jake, "We have to go without you."

The blonde Mandalorian scoffed, "Fett tasked us to help, so we help."

I shook my head, "You will, but not the way you think. If you all can distract the forces, then we can sneak through and take Maul. Simple enough."

To my complete surprise, Turbo was the one who rebutted, "Not necessarily. Maul is accustomed to your tactics. We have to think outside the book for this one."

I leaned forward to the hologram and tapped the right side of the rock face, outlining a circular vent, steam pouring out from the compressing of the sewage system's acclimator.

"What about this?" I asked, "That's a steam vent."

The blonde Mandalorian snorted lightly, "Yeah. I don't think you realize that it's only big enough for an astromech to fit through. Good try, though."

I couldn't' help the glare, "I don't see you pitching in…" I paused for a name.

The Mandalorian squinted her eyes, "Rosalia Axuss."

I nodded, "Fine. Rosalia. If you have anything to add, please feel free to do so."

Before she was able to speak, Jake spoke up from his place around the holo-table, "And, please, leave out the sarcasm. We aren't doing this for fun."

Rosalia frowned, "Noted, Jedi." She drew our attention back to the hologram and she pinched her fingers, zooming out the image until we could see a few miles out from the complex. Then, she tapped a few keys on the table, the ground becoming translucent. At first, I thought we would see more plugged up sewage lines, but we saw something very different.

Rex voiced what I was thinking, "Are those power lines?"

Rosalia nodded, drawing her finger across the image. The power cables ran through the ground until they reached a black spot on the hologram, indicating a dark zone where the imaging couldn't be processed.

"You think that's where the main power is being routed from?" Jake asked.

Rosalia shook her head, "No."

Turbo gave her a look, "Then, what is it for?"

I looked past the dark zone and thought on it for a moment before speaking, "It might go to a certain area of the base."

"Like to sanitation areas?" Rex said dryly.

From beside me, Ahsoka smiled and shook her head, "No. Most likely it goes to one of the areas of the base that use a significant amount of power but doesn't need to draw on the main line."

Kink spoke up, his accent clear, "What about a hangar bay?"

The other Mandalorian woman came forward and took off her helmet, revealing long, brown locks of hair accompanied by sleek, defined features, full lips, and glistening eyes.

Her voice, I noticed, was softer than the other's voice, "There is no hangar bay. However," She spun the hologram around, showing the eastern area of the mountain atop the base. She zoomed in and the display became translucent again, revealing a curvature without actually showing any solid masses.

Another dark zone.

But, I noticed something. The dark zone in front of me was different. The zone was slightly indented on the screen, which meant that it dragged into more than one floor. The power lines ran around the main mountain mass until it reached the dark zone, then it disappeared into it. And, in addition, the upper level to which the power lines connected first was actually higher than almost every other level available to see.

"A communication station." I mumbled to myself, but it was loud enough for the Mandalorian woman to hear. She nodded in agreement, then zoomed back out, taking in the picture as a whole.

"Yes." She said.

"That was good…"

"Evelyn Axuss."

Jake perked up slightly, "Sisters?"

"Yes. We work better as a unit." Rosalia said, her eyes fixed on Jake. "I'm sure you and your brother operate the same way."

Jake shrugged, "We'll see. I really hope so. We did back in the day."

Ahsoka moved forward, closing the distance between her and I, her arm locking with mine, "Aren't we forgetting that Maul will be wanting proof that Fett held up his end of the contract?"

Turbo blew out a sigh, "That's right. He might have a contingency if he doesn't show."

I nodded, then put my hand to my chin, "Maybe he does need proof." I turned to Turbo and held out my hand, "Turbo, hand me one of those holo-disguises."

Turbo reached behind his back and threw a small, silver disk into my hand. I tapped the center eye and it lit up with a soft, blue light. Quickly, I scrolled through the disguises until I could create my own. It didn't take long to make a copy of myself, then I threw it to Evelyn, who gave it a strange look.

"What do you want me to do with this?" Evelyn said, helmet in hand, "Become you? That's a good way to get killed."

I shook my head, "No. We kill one of their people and slap this on him. The readings will show that it's me and Maul won't be bright enough to have a DNA test preformed. We'll do the same for Ahsoka's double." I unclipped my lightsaber and tossed it over, "Include this."

Ahsoka squeezed my arm slightly but Jake was the one who actually talked, "You kinda need that, bro."

I shook my head at him, "I'll have it."

Jake raised a brow, "You lost me."

"Me too." Rex, Turbo, and Kink said simultaneously.

Evelyn cracked a small smile and she put her helmet back on, "I'm assuming you also need another couple disguises as well, huh?"

Turbo unclicked a few more holo-disguises, "What are we setting them to?"

I smirked, "Mandalorian super commandos."

Then, it clicked in Jake's head and he chuckled loudly, "I _love _this plan."

Ahsoka got it a second after, "Nice plan." She tossed her sabers over to Rosalia.

Han, who had been sitting in the cockpit the entire time came walking into the main area and he caught all our gazes. He rubbed a hand over his hair, "Did we finally come up with a plan?"

I nodded, "Yeah. All I ask of you now, Han, is to drop us down a few clicks out beyond their scanner range so we can grab a couple of their guys, then pick us up and drop us off at the coordinates that Maul gave Fett." I pointed to Evelyn, "You inform Fett." Then, I turned to Solo, "Han. Take us down."

* * *

Maul was elated.

Mere moments ago, he had received a transmission from Boba Fett that he had caught Ahsoka Tano and Blaze Marko unaware on Kashyyyk where he had left them. Now, both were dead and Fett was landing his replacement ship, a Corellian YT1300, on the rear docking pad.

Maul smirked, resting his arms on his throne as he looked across the room. He had recreated the throne room of Mandalore down to the slightest scratch of transparisteel on the corner glass stone. It reminded him of a time when he had, for once, shared his power with another.

It reminded him of his brother.

His fist clenched.

He hadn't thought of Savage in quite a long while. It felt like yesterday for him. His old Master, Darth Sidious, had attempted to put a stop to his operations within the government and to break his ties with the Death Watch and other criminal organizations. Blaze Marko had intervened and, for a moment, Maul had thought that him and his brother would escape, but Sidious had found his opening and disabled Marko and killed Savage.

He regretted that it was that monster Maltus who had ended Sidious. He had deserved so much more pain. He deserved to bleed at Maul's feet, but the Dark Side had not willed it so. But, Maul would settle for the corpse of Blaze Marko. The boy who appeared and conquered within months for what he, as a Sith, had trained since birth to do: to defeat the Sith Master.

Sidious had killed Savage. Maltus had killed Sidious. Marko killed Maltus. And, now, it was Boba Fett who had killed the great Blaze Marko.

He had wished it was him, but now no one stood in his way. He casted a glance down at his feet, where the attractive red headed being laid helpless, chains around her arms, legs, and neck. Attached to the collar was a shock box with a transmitter, sending a signal directly to Maul's chair.

He had stripped her of her clothes, so she was bared for all the other hunters, infidels, and warriors to see her for what Maul saw her as: an inconsequential piece of human trash not fit for anything other than to kiss his feet.

But, Maul could sense her determination in the Force. All the eyes on her didn't bother her in the slightest. If anything, it filled her with an even greater sense of strength, as if it was part of her plan.

She had no idea that her test subject was dead.

He smiled and tapped a key on his armrest, sending jolts of electricity straight into her exposed neck. Salcur screamed out in pain as he continued to let the stream pour into her body, spasms rocking her being.

After nearly a full minute, he cut off the power, leaving her to heave and shake on the floor. He smirked wider as he lifted her with the Force, nearly choking her right then and there.

"Well," Maul said, his voice low and menacing, "I hope you realize your position."

Salcur's face was cut in several places, blood clotting, but her lips curved up as her chest heaved up and down, "I've endured worse."

"You underestimate the power of the Dark Side." He said, then pulled the Kortanium box from beside the throne. He held it out to her and the metal puddled at the top until it formed into a hand shaped hole. "Open it."

"You'll have to cut off my hand to open it." Salcur spat blood at him.

Maul gave a small frown, "You would like that, wouldn't you? The box only recognizes both living tissue and a cognitive recognition. I already tried placing your unconscious body atop it. The results were negligent."

Salcur, in spite of her injuries and her situation, smirked, "Oh? Is that so? I must have forgotten."

Maul snarled loudly and he blasted her across the room, her body spinning and hitting the far, glass wall full force before she slumped to the ground, blood trickling down her forehead now. She groaned, then craned her neck to look back at Maul.

"You never learn, do you?" Salcur said, her voice strong and defiant.

Maul smirked, "I have learned enough."

Salcur got to her feet, "Apparently not. I know who you are, Maul. I know about your past. I know _what _you are."

"And, pray tell, what am I?" Maul crossed his arms, resisting the urge to blast her with more electricity.

Salcur's eyes darkened. Even from his distance, Maul could feel the pressure of her gaze.

"You are _nothing._" She said. "You are the son of a dead witch. You are the failed apprentice of a dead Sith. You are the brother of a dead Zabrak who only wanted to protect his clan. You are a failed leader of a world that overthrew you. And, most importantly, you are the one who will lose this fight, just as you've lost every fight in your life." She gestured to herself, "You can break every bone in my body. You can strangle me to death with the Dark Side. It won't matter. Nothing you can do will ever make me unlock that box. When my father died, he told me to guard that holocron until I breathed my last. I'm willing to do just that. Three hundred years I've walked this galaxy, so I'm ready to leave it if it means stopping you."

Maul was speechless for a moment. An anger he hadn't felt since the death of Talzin surfaced with his stomach. It churned and burned within until it could not be contained, and then he lashed out. However, it wasn't physical. There was no gust of energy through the Force, there was no lightning, and there was no lightsaber.

The outburst came from his emotions.

As he yelled, saliva burst from his mouth, "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF ME!"

That was all he could say. Nothing she said was false. He had failed time and time again. Now, he had the opportunity to create something that could last forever, where he would reign supreme over all beings in the galaxy. Over the Republic. Over the Jedi. Over _everything_.

Salcur's gaze remained strong, though the Dark Side sparked to life within Maul, "You won't win. Blaze will come. You will fight. Then, you will die."

Maul paused, then smirked as his holocom started to ding, "He is dead."

"So, you think." Maul said, displaying a holocom. The image of Boba Fett pulled up with the bodies of Blaze Marko and Ahsoka Tano laying on a slab next to him. Both bodies had started to pale, but it wasn't enough to suggest that they were faking it. Not only that, but through the Force Maul could feel no life coming from both corpses.

"Mandalorians?" Salcur blinked.

Maul nodded, "Boba Fett, former ruler of Mandalore and the one who's finally snuffed out Marko. A shame it wasn't me, but the job got done."

Fett nodded his head, _"We are on our way in now."_

Maul nodded, "I will alert my guards to escort you here so you may collect your payment."

Fett gave another nod and then the hologram died out.

In the Force, Maul could sense Salcur's spirit crack a bit. Finally, he had broken her resolve. She fell back to her knees and lowered her head, a few tears falling onto the ground. Then, Maul activated the collar again.

A few minutes later, the grand doors opened up to the throne room. Eight Mandalorians walked through, with Fett leading at the front of the group, his gloved left hand held back to hold the front of the hover slab as he guided it forward.

When they were within a few meters of the throne, Maul held his hand up. The pirates, bounty hunters, and infidel that made up Maul's men, plus some former Mandos, all had their weapons at the ready.

Maul smiled wide as he laid a hand on Salcur's red hair. He yanked up, inciting a shriek of pain before he held her head forward, "There is your hero."

Salcur's eyes watered, but her mouth did not quiver. She stayed strong and did not give into the pain.

Now, it was _her _that had failed.

"Even if you killed him, another will rise to take his place." Salcur muttered before she was thrown back to the floor.

Fett leaned his head in acknowledgement, "Can we commence with our deal? You can teach your slaves a lesson later."

In other cases, Maul would have been irritated at that tone, but this was Boba Fett. He was a man of purpose and action. He had no need to see the revenge enacted on someone who had no ties to Fett himself.

Then, Maul got a feeling. Something within him twitched.

Maul's mouth formed a thin line, "Remove your helmet."

Fett did not move, "What?"

"Your helmet." Maul said again, gesturing with a single finger. "Remove it."

Fett nodded, holstered the blaster in his right hand, then he removed the helmet. And, under the helmet was a young man with black hair, strong features, and eyes that were cold and calculating.

It truly _was_ Boba Fett.

Maul relaxed slightly, leaning back in his throne as he called a servant, a blue skinned Twi'lek woman, up with a silver case in her arms. He held the case out to Fett, snapping the latches off to reveal a million credits within in unmarked chips.

Fett nodded, reaching his hand out, but Maul held it out of reach.

"One more thing." Maul said, which made Salcur look up at him in confusion, her eyes still sparkling from tears. "Impale the body."

Fett groaned and put his helmet back on, "This is starting to irritate me." Nonetheless, he pulled a vibroblade from a side pocket on his leg and drove the blade down into the corpse of Blaze Marko. Blood sprayed from the wound, but the corpse did not move. It did not flinch. Fett had struck the body where the heart would've been.

Now, Maul was satisfied. He truly was gone.

Fett turned to Maul, "We done playing games?"

Maul nodded, smiling genuinely for the first time in decades, "Yes. You've lived up to your reputation."

Fett nodded, "I always have." He reached his hand out as Maul threw the case to him. He checked the credits, then handed the case to a Mandalorian woman beside him.

He started to turn, when he stopped and turned back to Maul, "Anything else to add?"

Maul shook his head, "No. You may go."

"Then, can I say something?" Fett asked.

Maul raised an eyebrow, "If you must."

Then, Fett's helmet turned to Salcur and he gave a small nod while saying, "Sorry for taking so long."

Maul's senses flared in alarm, every atom of his being screaming from beyond the veil of reality. Everything came back into view and the deception was lifted in that moment. It was only then that he realized that Salcur's tearful gaze turned to one of triumph and she now stared at him with a toothy grin.

Fett's visage faded in an instant, the disguise from the hologram melting off of his body completely. And, there was him: Blaze Marko. He was alive.

In one swift motion, the female Mandalorian beside him turned into Ahsoka Tano, and the man on his other side became Blaze's brother. Four clone troopers in Mandalorian armor removed their helmets as they, and the true Mandalorians, opened fire on all the vagrants and soldiers under Maul's command. And, as their battle raged one, the three Jedi in front of him ignited sabers and stood firm.

Maul was frozen with shock.

He had felt _nothing. _

Then, Blaze smirked, "Now, I know you weren't expecting a fight, but I know you'll want this one. Come one, Maul, let's end this shit once and for all."


	11. Chapter 10: Twilight of Destiny

**These are the final chapters! Brace yourselves; it's about to get hairy. **

* * *

Chapter 10:

**TWILIGHT OF DESTINY**

I wasted no time.

With the power of the Force flowing through my body, I threw my hand outward, lightning streaming through the air to envelope Maul in a blinding display of power. It swept him off his feet, sending him spiraling through the air until he smashed into his multicolored, interior glass murals.

Maul struggled against the hold for a moment before he drew upon the strength of the Kyber Shard within the darksaber and leaped back to the ground. He yanked the black blade from his waist, then ignited his other red blade as well. He took a standard Jar'Kai stance, knees slightly bent with both blades up in defensive positions.

"Surrender, Maul." Ahsoka said, her blue blades shining brightly in tandem with mine and Jake's violet saber, "You're outmatched in every way."

Maul cackled, swinging his blades around his body, "I think you forget what I wield."

I stepped forward, pointing my blade at him, "The same thing I wield."

Maul's eyes seem to ignite with a sort of recognition, as if he was remembering something he had forgotten for a time. He growled, his yellow teeth bared for all to see. Even as blasterfire rang out around us, I could still hear his heavy breathing. His composure was failing and it wouldn't be long before he snapped.

"And, I've grown more and more accustomed to this power due to the time I've had it. You've had it for a couple of years. I've had mine damn near a decade." I smirked.

Then, Maul's composure came back. He suddenly smirked, confidence in his stance, "Are you sure?"

A line of ice seemed for form down my back.

Jake was the one to talk, "What do you mean?"

Maul laughed lightly, "I forgot. You didn't know." He pointed a blade at the still sitting form of Claire Salcur, "You didn't know what she did to you."

Ahsoka's eyes came to Claire, then it went back to Maul, "You cannot fool us twice, Maul. Your attempts to trick us are futile."

"This is no trick, Lady Tano." Maul said. "With the power of the Kyber Shard, I have gained powers I did not have, or use, before. When she was unconscious, I delved into her recent memories and found out what had really happened the day Blaze Marko entered her life."

The ice continued to trickle down, my heart starting to beat violently. Even though the situation was dire, I couldn't help the impulse. The beast within was writhing to know, pleading for me to figure it out, to put it to rest.

And, I obliged.

"What happened?"

"Blaze." Ahsoka nearly snapped, "Do not let him divert your attention. We need to take him down. Now."

"I want to know." I said, my breaths shallow for some reason. _Don't go into a panic attack, Marko!_

Claire lifted her head now, her eyes locking with mine before her face darkened. She barely had the strength to remain conscious, let alone talk about the past.

Maul smirked, "No? Then, I'll tell him." He pointed the darksaber at me, "You truly did die that day. But, your spirit stayed intact. She didn't let you pass into the beyond. Instead, she took samples of your destroyed body and made a clone, then transferred your spirit into the body of that clone. It was only then that the clone regained consciousness. So, as you can see Marko, it is truly _you, _but that body is not. That is why your powers are hurting you so."

The final piece of the puzzle.

"Claire?" I said, voice low.

Claire's face darkened further, "It's…it's true."

"And, would you like to know the technique she used to take your soul out?" Maul asked as if he was talking to a small child.

I could only nod.

"Essence Transfer." Maul said.

"But," I turned to Maul, "that means my soul would have had to go somewhere during those years."

"The best part." Maul said evilly, "You are correct. Your soul had to go somewhere. So, she placed it into a dead corpse, reanimating it. The body would realize who it was and would deteriorate into a savage beast and she was forced to kill it. Eventually, the clone was finished a few months later, but it took went insane and she killed it over and over and over again."

Horror passed through my senses, through Ahsoka's and Jake's as well. They turned to Claire, only to see her looking directly at the ground, tears staining the polished floor. A blaster bolt ripped through the air right next to her, but she didn't even flinch.

_What…_

Then, her voice rang out. It sounded hoarse.

"Each time I had to end that life it killed my soul bit by bit. I could only see glimpses through the Force, but I knew I was killing someone who held more love in his heart than anyone in the entire galaxy. It was only when the body you have now accepted your soul did I get to know who you were." She lifted her head, tears visible and blood still clotting, "I am so sorry, James."

_James…_I thought, my heart now beating slowly, deliberately. _How many times did she kill me?_

I was far too deep in thought to realize that Maul had launched himself at my exposed side. When I did realize it, my timing was far too late. However, at the last second, Jake drove his blade forward, crossing between Maul's sabers. He let out a shout as he used the Force to blast Maul back near the throne, then engaged him in a close combat fight, his strikes quick and decisive. Unfortunately, Maul's combat awareness had been heightened and he was able to block and parry each of Jake's blows, but Jake was not pushed back from his position.

The grip on my own saber had tightened to the point my knuckles had turned white. Then, a hand fell upon my shoulder. I looked down to see the orange hand of my lover, Ahsoka.

Without a single word, she brought her lips to mind. While no physical words were spoken, she melded our bond together once more, time becoming nonexistent in our plane of existence.

_"__You are James Kentic. You are Blaze Marko. You are the man I will love until the stars themselves blink out. I will never lose you again, and you will never lose me. You are here with me for a reason, and that reason is to light the fire of hope across the galaxy. Together, we will stand. Together, we will triumph. Together, we are one." _

Time came back into existence as we parted and all thoughts of horror faded away. I may not have known what each iteration of me went through and the emotions they held, but it did not matter.

"I love you." I whispered.

Ahsoka smiled softly, raising the hand from my shoulder to my cheek, "I know."

In a flash, we were in the air, diving down to meet Maul's blades as he came down on Jake in a vertical slash. We crossed our blades against his, driving him back several steps. As one, we fell upon him, launching an offensive strike that left him no room to breathe. He could barely keep up with our combined efforts. Each blow he blocked was met by seven more and the Kyber Shard's enhanced abilities could not be accessed because his concentration was wavering.

I went for a low swipe at his legs, my blue blade passing harmlessly below as he jumped to avoid the strike. At that moment, Ahsoka drove her blue blade forward, aiming for his heart. Maul's eyes flashed as black as night and he hooked her blade with his red one, locking it in place on his left side. I finished my swing and crossed against his black blade.

Maul snarled, "You will never defeat me."

"You talk too much." Jake yelled out before launching himself forward using the Force. His boot crashed against Maul's nose with a sickening crunch.

I could hardly believe it as Maul cried out in pain, flying backwards off the ledge of the throne's platform.

Before he could completely rise to his feet, I clipped my lightsaber to my waist and threw both my hands down at him, lightning blasting out of my palms like a wave of water, electricity sparking out over the tile and glass, shorting out several light fixtures above.

Maul could do nothing as the lightning struck him dead on, blasting him into another wall, glass and tile cracking beneath the weight of power.

I reared my hand back and gathered my energy into a single point and peered into the Force for a single moment, analyzing Maul in his entirety. All his faults and vulnerabilities became known to me in that instant and I ran forward.

"Shatter Strike!" I yelled, stabbing my hand forward. At the last second, he used the Force to gain distance from his position on the wall, leaping above me. My attack hit the wall dead on and the wall shattered at the touch, the Force traveling between the particles and breaking the bonds held by their very atoms.

"Damn it." I muttered, spinning around with saber in hand just in time to deflect an overhead slash.

Ahsoka and Jake leaped down and Maul threw a hand back, lightning streaking out to strike them, but both slid under the attack, blue and violet laser swords up to catch the torrents of Sith energy.

Maul raised a surprised eyebrow at them as they closed the distance, pushing him back into a defensive position. I took the few seconds bought to gather the Force into my free hand, letting it course through my body until it unleashed itself, crashing against Maul's exposed back.

He spun in the air before he slammed shoulder first into the side of the throne platform. He was up in an instant, the golden fire of a Sith burning in his gaze, blood seeping from under his tunic. A quick glance behind him showed that he had been nicked by the cracked tile of the platform.

Ahsoka did not let him breathe.

She reared her hands back, letting both her sabers fly through the air at her target. But, just as they were about the bisect Maul, he vanished from sight, rematerializing behind Ahsoka with crimson blade raised high above his head.

Luckily, while reaching through the Force to gather energy for the Shatter Strike technique, I also had peered into the possible future. And, this was the moment where it could divert for the better or worse.

Using the full mastery of the Force, I reached out to Jake, sending his body an electric jolt that caused his arm to spasm, sending his blade to launch itself at that exact moment forward. The lightsaber was angled in a way that it almost resembled a spear. The energy blade flashed by Ahsoka's lekku just enough to burn off the edge of her head piece, but it also slashed out a vital part of Maul's crimson saber's emitter nozzle. The blade fizzled out as the attack came down.

Confusion from both Maul and Ahsoka spread through the Force for a split second, but that was all Ahsoka needed to gain her bearings back before Maul did. Her sabers found flesh as she stabbed backward, her shoto missing completely while her standard blade met skin, boring a hole through Maul's side, carving out bone and sinew.

Maul kicked forward, metal plating slamming Ahsoka into the ground, lightsabers falling away. Bones in her back popped and her lip split, blood splattering against the ground.

I dove forward, catching the black blade in my own blue one. We exchanged a few blows before Maul slammed his black blade down in an overhead slash. I sidestepped the blow, then jumped over his next advance, nearly missing the mark as I locked his blade with mine.

"I have to say thank you." I grunted out, using the Force to augment my strength. "If you hadn't come to Kashyyyk, we might have never been able to finish this fight between us."

Maul grunted back, applying more pressure, "You cannot succeed. The Dark Side wills me to prevail. I can feel it within the Shard."

"If the Dark Side wants you to live," I said lowly, menace filling my voice as I felt the Dark Side flow through my being, murderous rage and intent flowing into the Force between Maul and I, "then you will live."

A wave of heat passed over my skin and I threw both our lightsabers to the side as the Force rushed through my system. I screamed with purpose and power as I grabbed the front of his tunic and sent him flying into the ceiling. As he fell, I leaped up to meet him and punch his face straight into the tiled floor, blood spurting from the back of his head.

He blubbered out for mercy, but my animalistic desire to kill did not hear him. He had nearly killed Claire. He had nearly killed Ahsoka. He had nearly killed me. He deserved everything he was dealt.

I gripped his shoulders hard enough to pop one out of place. He screamed out in agony before I sent him tumbling to the side, razor sharp tile shards following him, ripping through flesh and bone until there was complete silence. There was a cloud of smoke as one of the light fixtures fell from the ceiling and exploded into a fiery display of red and orange hues.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my reflection in one of the glass panels. Once again, the Dark Side was made bare and the application had changed my appearance.

Black hair. Golden eyes. Paler skin. But, there was control. A powerful hold on the vortex within.

With my right hand lowered at my side, I let white strips of lightning crackle and pop between my fingertips, "Don't worry, Maul. It'll all be over soon."

When the smoke cleared, Maul was on his feet again, bleeding and beaten but with one more trick up his sleeve.

I paused, my heart frozen in place, "Claire!"

Maul had reobtained the darksaber and had Claire in his grasp, the black blade nearly touching her neck.

"And, this is your one flaw, Marko!" Maul spat, blood pooling on the floor beside his feet. Teeth were missing from his mouth and one eye had a blood vessel popped, "Compassion."

"Do it!" Claire screamed, "Do it! Now!"

I faltered for a moment.

"The woman who killed you over and over and over again. That is who I have. She may have given you your life back, but she has snuffed it time and time again, knowing that you could feel each cut, each decapitation, but also knowing that you would remember none of it." Maul sneered, "This would be a service to you. But, no. You care. You still care! Everything and you still care! That is your weakness! That will be your undoing."

"Kill us!" Claire screamed out, "Now! Before he starts to heal!"

It was at that moment that my senses cleared up just enough for me to focus clearly on the finer details. Maul's cuts suddenly started to close at a slow rate, blood reversing their trails as the pool was sucked back into his body. He _was _healing.

But, that comment ignited a fire with Maul that caused his eyes to turn to the blackest night. In a swift motion, he slashed the darksaber across her chest from side to trap, not cutting all the way through, but enough to sever arteries and to rupture organs.

"Claire!" I screamed, reaching a hand forward towards her but Maul was on the move. He was in front of me in a single blink, black blade rising up to cut me in two. Gathering the Force into my palm, lightning coated my hand just in time to deflect the strike with the current and send a jolt of electricity into Maul's body, stopping the healing process.

I pushed past him and leaped over to Claire's side, holding her head in my hands, my back to the wall all the while keeping my eyes on Maul. But, he had stopped healing and stopped attacking. Now, he was groaning in pain, mixing the sounds of suffering with those of laughter. Condescending laughter.

"Blaze…" She whispered, the light leaving her eyes.

"No. No. No!" I cried out, tears stinging my eyes, "Claire! Don't you dare! Please. Just…Just wait!"

She reached a hand up to my face and I felt the last vestiges of her consciousness pass over my mind. They expressed sadness and sorrow, but also that of apology. At the end, she was apologizing.

"Blaze…" She whispered. "It _is _you. The Knight…of…the…Force."

Then, nothing.

"Finally." Maul cackled in front of me. "The pitiful bird has been silenced."

I held her body in my arms for ten more seconds before I realized that last emotion of hers that crept past my mind.

Thankfulness.

There was no emotion for myself in that moment. There was no anger or regret. Then, tears sprang to my eyes, but I willed them not to fall. It took every ounce of willpower to hold back the floodgates.

_"__No more tears."_

Her voice ghosted past my ears and I felt the slightest touch of a hand through my hair. The hand ruffled it as if you were doing it to a child who needed comfort. And, that was what it was: comfort. More than that it was encouragement.

"What's the matter, Marko!? Where's the fire of the Dark Side? Where are those golden eyes? Where is the lightning? Where is my challenger!?" Maul screamed.

"I get it now." I said softly, understanding. "You killed me every time because I was never _me_. Then, I was and you knew I was alive again. The _real _me. I promise…I promise I won't let it go to waste." The Dark Side flooded from my system, replaced by the Light and I got to my feet in front of Claire's body.

I reached out my hand, my lightsaber flying through the air into my palm. I ignited the blue blade and felt the Force flow through the crystal into my body then back into the crystal. I could feel the connection. The connection that had always been there. The one that would always be there. There was no changing it, ever.

Maul held the black blade in front of him, sensing the change, "Prepare to join her. Then, your family is next. Tano. Your brother. Your _children._ Everyone will burn at my feet."

I took a deep breath, his words flying into the wind as I blue light reflected across my features, "You'll never get the chance."

Silence rung out.

No moved.

I could feel everything. _Everyone._

Ahsoka. Jake. Rex. Turbo. Kink. Turbo. Evelyn. Maul. Me.

This is what it had all led up to.

Visions of the past came tumbling before me and I pushed it forward, remembering how my life had come to become what it now was: something truly special.

Maul's feet changed their positioned before he leapt at me.

I parried his first blow, then blocked the second one, going for a feint. He fell for the feint and raised his saber to block, but there was no strike. It was at this moment, Maul knew his fate.

With absolute certainty, I drove my blade forward, burying the blue shaft hilt–deep into his chest, separating the heart from the body. Maul had just enough consciousness for him to hold onto life for a handful of seconds and he fell into my arms.

I dropped my lightsaber, metal clattering against the floor. Maul sputtered and groaned before he looked up into my eyes. I knew he was expecting to see hate, but I could not bring myself to feel hate at that moment. I could only feel pity. Even that shocked myself as well. I was from Earth. I knew his fate. I knew who he was. I knew _what _he was. Yet, I couldn't help but feel pity for the man he could have become if he let go of his hate.

But, this was the twilight of destiny.

I felt his touch through the Force and it drove my eyes downward and his lips curled into a small smile.

"I…thought…it would be Kenobi." He whispered.

I shook my head, "I'm really good at stealing his kills."

Maul chuckled, then gasped, "Are…are you truly the Knight?"

I cast a look backwards to Claire's body and felt her presence waft through the air. Suddenly, a flash of blue appeared for an instant. It was Claire. In that instant she appeared, she gave me a warm smile that said it was all as the Force willed it and that she would always be with me.

I looked back at Ahsoka, who was being supported by Jake on the side of the room. All of Maul's vagrants were dead and we suffered not one casualty of men and women. I felt the Force swell with life and purpose within my body and the power fluctuation changed completely, resonating within my heart and soul, completing the process. My body had acclimated finally to the memories and feelings of years and years of blood, sweat and tears.

I felt _alive. _

"Yes." I whispered back as his life faded away completely. I closed his eyes manually and sighed, "Yes, I am."

* * *

**_Several hours later, landing platform 401._**

I raised my head, my gaze coming from the metal flooring to Ahsoka as she crossed across the platform. She took a spot next to me and took a deep breath, then she let it out in a sigh. Her lip had been pressed back together using the medic salve and had already closed, but her left shoulder was in a sling.

I myself was in much better condition physically, but there were still a few cuts and bruises that would take time to heal. In the span of a day, I had fought three different times. Maul twice, and Claire once.

I raised my right hand, palm up, to Ahsoka. Inside of my palm was a small piece of metal no longer than my finger.

Ahsoka picked it up and looked it over before handing it back, "Data drive?"

I shook my head, "No. Believe it or not, it's body armor."

Ahsoka cracked a small smile, "Of course it is."

"It was Claire's." I said gently. "It's made of a titanium and phrik alloy compound. Lightsaber strikes don't do massive damage unless applied specifically to one area of the body. Doesn't do much in the way of vibration absorbtion though. Falling still hurts."

"Or being hurled into a wall." Ahsoka winced slightly, rolling her shoulder.

"You okay?" I asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." Ahsoka replied. "Just some internal bruising and getting your arm popped back into place is never fun."

"It's happened more times than I can count." I chuckled slightly. Then, she pointed to the metal piece, "Might want to pocket that. Once we go back to the Republic, I don't want that falling into scientist hands. They'll want to mass produce it, and if we have a leak then that's the first piece they'll go after."

I nodded, "I kind of forgot about the leak."

"I can understand why it might have slipped your mind." Ahsoka said. "I have my suspicions, however."

"You have an idea of who it is?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ahsoka nodded, "Yeah."

"Care to tell."

"Of course." Her hand intertwined with my own, "I believe that it might be one of Chancellor Organa's advisors."

"Chancellor Organa?" I asked. "Padme stepped down?"

"Her terms were up. He was the best candidate to replace her." Ahsoka smiled, "He has quite the way with words, as you know. Moving mountains with a single speech."

"And, you think it's one of his inner circle? Why?" I asked, turning my eyes to meet her gaze completely.

Ahsoka shrugged, "Kane had suggested that he couldn't trust even his own group, and I know that Tyloid Dephsus, one of his advisors, was also in charge of the Outer Rim Expansion project a few decades ago, meaning he would have made connections in and outside the Unknown Regions. Plus, he has always felt off in the Force, but there was no malevolent intent. I will coordinate with the security force when we come back to Coruscant."

I sighed, "It feels like just yesterday I said goodbye to this world. And, now, I get to come back home. With you."

"To your friends and family." Ahsoka squeezed softly, a small spark of electricity popping between our fingers. "We've all missed you terribly."

"Don't tell me Obi Wan has been lost without me." I joked.

Ahsoka grinned, "I haven't seen him cry that much, ever. Not even when Ben was born." Then, she turned somber, "I'm sorry, my love."

"About what?"

"About Claire."

Sadly, I nodded, releasing my grief into the Force once again, "It's okay. She is one with the Force. I just wish I could have repaid my debt."

Ahsoka nodded, squeezing my hand slightly, "As do I. She brought you back to me, but this is what the Force wills."

She was right. The Force was in all and it knew what the future would be, though the future was always subject to change. The Force did not waver more for the Light than the Dark, but it gave those on both sides the ability to make decisions based on facts rather than emotions. Even then, one's emotions had been the reason for more than one fall to the Dark Side.

I opened my mouth to agree when I felt someone familiar in the Force make themselves known. I cast my gaze to the side and saw a small shuttle touching down on one of the landing platforms.

It was a small craft, nothing too flashy but there were several visible laser cannons on left and right sides. The ramp to the shuttle slid down with a small gust of white smoke, revealing two beings.

I got to my feet, Ahsoka following suit.

Once they were in view, I was able to make out who they were. One was a new face, but the other one was far too familiar to forget.

"Castilia." I breathed out sharply.

The Cathar nurse that had been in charge of checking up on me while I was in their facility gave a bow, "Master Marko."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Castilia. Claire is…" I trailed off.

Castilia nodded and said softly, "I know. I felt her pass."

I crooked an eyebrow, "Then, what brings you here?"

Castilia gestured to her companion, who brought out a small data disk with gold lining and a set of initials on the top. Castilia reached out and grabbed the disk, then she held it out to me, her eyes betraying the emotion I felt in the Force.

"This is her final command." Castilia whispered.

"What is this?" I asked, looking the disk over and realizing it would take a computer with a faster processor than my wrist pad for it to load properly.

Castilia looked around, making sure that no one was around before answering, "Mistress Salcur and her family have had a hand many of the ruling corporations of the galaxy for centuries, meaning that they have a high stake in each company. This disk allows you to access those funds."

Ahsoka blinked, "Credits?"

Castilia nodded, "Yes. Enough to start your own organization." Her eyes sparkled and I saw something flash back at me, "To start over."

"Or…" I whispered, "…to do what I know I need to do."

Ahsoka caught my stare and heard my words, "I can feel your conflict. We'll do whatever we need to together."

"I know that Jedi do not hold onto such mortal things like credits, but the Force showed Mistress Salcur that this was the best course of action." Castilia said.

"And, you're just giving me access? Like that?" I asked.

Castilia bowed slightly, "Yes. I trusted her. I trust her judgement now. And, now, I trust you." She nodded to her companion and started to turn, "You know where to find us if you ever need us, Master Marko."

I nodded, smiling warmly, "Of course."

"May the Force be with you, Master Marko." Castilia said then departed.

I stood there, staring at the two as they returned to their ship. In seconds, they were in the sky and on the way back to Kashyyyk once again.

Then, the Force knocked on my door once again. For a moment, I thought that it was trying to give me some insight or knowledge on how to proceed. The thoughts that crossed my brain were the right ones, but I felt the conflict within myself and I paused.

However, that was not what the Force was trying to do. It was that specific door again. The one that led to the past.

"Ahsoka." I said.

Ahsoka nodded, "I feel it. Give into it. Find your answers, my love."

Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I surrendered to the Force and let the waves of the past wash over my head, sending me into the expanse of existence before shapes manifested into reality.

* * *

I_t felt like waking up in a dream. And, basically, that was what it was. _

_Immediately, I recognized my surroundings as the metal plated flooring of the Galaxy Gun. However, the exact location was new to me. From the quick glance I did to the right, I could see the instrument panels along the walls, connecting major energy lines to the rest of the room._

_As I followed those lines, I found myself staring at an open spacing between four massive cylinders. Inside each cylinder, there were several rotating discs flashing with a pulsating green light. Each cylinder was also connecting with one power line leading to the center of the room, where a massive chasm for energy dissipation laid. _

_I reached out my hand, realizing that I was not truly there, but the Force felt the same. I expanded my presence forward until it reached the power source within and I felt the familiar touch of a Kyber Shard. _

_"__Green." I whispered. "The one that is with Huyang."_

_That solved one mystery, but there was a more pressing one. _

_Seconds later, the doors at the other end of the room flashed open, revealing three combatants. Instantly, I recognized each of them. It was Lyra, Cali, and Stalker Two. They were engaged in a heated duel, sweat sticking to the two girl's faces at they defended themselves from the onslaught of power that was the Sith Stalker. _

_I reached out my hand again, willing the Force to let me help. However, fate wouldn't be so kind to me. _

_The battle raged on for several minutes, each side taking heavy blows. By the tail end of the battle, both Lyra and Cali had suffered several lightsaber burns and Cali had lost a finger, but Stalker Two had lost an arm already and was fighting with his remaining half of a lightsaber pike. _

_Then, he regenerated that arm and came at them again, shoving them back until they were at the other side of the room. It was then that I realized that there was a small hatch on that side of the room with a control panel on the wall next to it. _

_"__An escape pod in the power station?" I mumbled to myself as all three of them were locked with sabers blazing. _

_The Force seemed to churn in that second and I felt ice water flash down my back, seizing the air in my lungs. Time seemed to skip forward another few minutes and Lyra was leaning against the rear wall, saber on but lowered. She was hurt. A quick turn to the left and I saw Cali trading blows with Stalker Two, screaming at Lyra to keep fighting, that they would win together. _

_Cali jumped back, holding back her hand to Lyra without looking as she said, "We will do this together!"_

_Lyra's eyes seemed to flash with fear as she turned to the control pad that had the escape pod, "No. Only you. You don't belong here."_

_Cali was surprised and turned to face Lyra, but Lyra had already pushed Cali forward with the Force._

_I stood there, my heart stopping in my chest and eyes burning as I saw Cali fly forward onto Stalker Two's blade, piercing her through the abdomen. _

_Lyra took that moment to pull a piece of the reactor core off and slam it through Stalker Two's head, slicing it clean off with a spray of crimson blood. He sunk to the floor, taking Cali with him. _

_Lyra, hurt herself, walked over to Cali's gasping form and bent down, holding the back of her head, "You are Sith. Always will be. James might have seen good in you, but I just see pride and arrogance. We would have lost and both of us would have been dying now. I'll settle for just you." She walked back over to the control panel and activated it, slipping into the pod, "This is war. You were and still are my enemy. Two birds with one stone."_

_Cali coughed up a mouthful of blood onto the floor as Lyra blasted away in her escape pod. _

_I rushed over, leaning down to scoop Cali into my arms, but my form phased through her. Even as I stared into her pained eyes, I knew she couldn't hear or see me in the slightest. I screamed out, but my voice was now gone. I kept going until my lungs nearly gave out and sent me into inky darkness. _

_Then, Cali moved, getting to her feet slowly until she was in a standing position. _

_The scenery changed again, this time changing into the throne room of the Galaxy Gun. In front of me was my own prone form, knees to the ground and head to the ceiling. My pupils had rolled back into my head and my mouth was agape, blood slipping down to drip into the puddle below. _

_That's when it happened._

_Cali was there, at the end. She limped over, her presence in the Force fading faster and faster as life clung to her hopelessly. She looked down at me like one would look at a parental figure. With the last of her strength, she grabbed me under her arms and drug me to the other side of the throne room, where another escape pod was. In my haste, I had forgotten that the room was symmetrical in every way except that there was no other throne besides the main one. However, that didn't mean that there wasn't another escape pod. Obviously, Cali had remembered from her times aboard the Galaxy Gun prior to Mandalore. _

_She shoved me into the pod and fell to her knees, crying out in pain as her bloody hand smeared across the control panel, bright lights flashing to signal the hatch closing._

_Before the pod flew away and the Galaxy Gun erupted into fire, she placed her hand on the glass, "Go, Master. Go."_

_Then, the pod detached and shot away. _

_Time seemed to slow in that moment, but Cali seemed to stay constant. She looked backwards, catching my eye. My actual gaze. _

_"__Cali." My voice was hoarse with emotion. _

_"__Master." She whispered back, laying her back against the wall. _

_"__How?" I sat down in front of her, reaching a hand out to cradle her cheek and was surprised to feel skin. _

_"__Does it matter?" She whispered, her eyes fluttering, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry."_

_"__You have nothing to apologize for." I held back my emotions. "You saved me. It was you. Thank you."_

_Cali smiled, blood spilling from her lips, "I did, didn't I? I saved the great Blaze Marko."_

_I leaned forward and took her into my arms, feeling her heart beat in sync with mine, "I'm so sorry, Cali. This is all my fault."_

_"__No, Master." She whispered, not having the strength to reciprocate. "Never your fault. You brought me into the Light. It is you who truly saved me. Thank you."_

_I pulled back and looked into violet eyes, "Cali."_

_"__I'll be with you, always." She whispered, finding the strength to raise a hand to press a single finger into my chest, "The Force…will…always…be…"_

_Then, her head slumped and life left her. The vision shuffled as the Galaxy Gun finally exploded into a million pieces, fiery debris falling down around us as I sat there with my apprentice dead in front of my eyes. The Force, in that last moment, had merged the past and present together to have the final farewell. _

_More than that, it had given me the drive to restore the balance that had been undone. _

_Blackness took hold of me._

* * *

All at once, I was brought back into the present and I immediately turned to Ahsoka, her eyes locking with mine. She raised a hand to my face and stroked my cheek gently.

"Ahsoka." I said, my voice soft but emotional, "I know what happened."

Ahsoka nodded, "I thought so. One last stop to make before we go to the Temple, huh?"

I nodded, my heart turning from mush to solid iron. The emotion faded from my senses, replaced by a sense of pure justice.

"Yeah. I need you to follow up on your lead and let me know what you find." I said, getting to my feet and staring at the sun with unblinking eyes, "This one is _mine_."


	12. Chapter 11: Where All Roads Lead

Chapter 11:

**Where All Roads Lead**

There are only a few things in life that you are ever truly prepared for. There are more variables that go into a single decision in the world I lived at that moment than the one I used to be a part of; the world of a child who didn't know what he was going to do with the rest of his life.

Little did he know, that boy would be thrown into a cataclysmic even that would shake the foundations of his reality. What once was fantasy became reality, and that meant the possibilities were endless. His world had changed forever and the truths he clung to were tested in ways that he didn't think was possible.

And, that boy was me. But, I wasn't a boy anymore. I was a man. A man that stood in front of a door that lead to someone who meant the world to me at one point in my life. It took every ounce of composure not to let my anger and ire explode from within.

I held a hand up, fingers brushing slightly against the cold metal of the control panel.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door with a flick of the Force. The door slowly slid open, revealing a small foyer that lead into a main living room. I was glad, in that moment, that Lyra didn't know how to hide herself in the Force. But, then again, she had no reason to. She had thought she was in the clear.

She thought wrong.

I stepped into the hallway, the door sliding closed behind me with a small _click. _The apartment was quaint with soft color palates and simple furniture. There was nothing that about the environment that showed any sign of remorse.

Years prior, I had learned under Republic investigator Kiln Terran that when criminals expressed stress or remorse for their crime they would change the style of their living quarters. It could be small changes such as moving around furniture, or it could be drastic like going from a cleanly lifestyle to one of filth and grime.

There was no evidence of any change. In fact, the room was the exact same as it had been over two years ago. In conclusion: no remorse.

I reached out through the Force, hiding my own presence but feeling out the flow. In a second, I found her presence. She was in the rear of the apartment, most likely in her bedroom. The emotions I felt were ones of anticipation and joy, but there was also an underlying sense of doubt. Doubt that I couldn't place the subject of.

I moved my fingers slightly, the furniture of the room moving slightly so that it wasn't blocking me from any angle. I stood in the center of the room, eyes locked on a photo on the wall. And, as I gazed on that picture, my heart started to harden.

The picture was of Lyra and Ziv, who now sported a full beard, with a child on each shoulder. Both children were about a year old and both were different species. One was human and one was…Togruta.

The boy's eyes were a crystal blue and his brown hair was cut short but not near a buzz cut and his expression was joyous. The Togruta girl matched his expression, but her eyes were an emerald green. Her skin was orange, but slightly lighter than Ahsoka's own. And, her lekku were white and blue striped.

Recognition flashed before my eyes and I felt my heart thump in my chest.

"Max." I whispered. "Lexiah." _My children. _

"Who are you?" I heard the familiar voice of Lyra Rey. Her tone was accusatory and I felt her tense in the Force.

I had forgotten my hood was up and I lowered it to the shoulders, turning to meet her gaze. The amount of shock and relief in the Force was nearly overwhelming, and then it was met by an emotional release as she threw herself at me, letting out a happy shout.

"Holy shit! You're alive! You're alive!" Lyra nearly screamed, holding tighter.

I did not reciprocate, and she felt the underlying distance between us.

She let go and leaned back, her eyes slightly narrowing in confusion, "James?"

"Not to you." I said, my voice a bit hoarse, "Not anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Lyra asked, pure confusion spreading through her system. Fear poured into the Force, but it was unfocused.

I took a single step back, my lightsaber in hand, "I won't beat around the bush, Lyra. You're under arrest for the murder of Cali."

All color drained from Lyra's face. Peach skin turned ashen white and her lips quivered for a moment before she dared to say, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"I think you do." I said firmly, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. But, let's add a bit more to the table."

Lyra made a half step to the left, towards her bedroom door. With a swift motion of my hand, the door frame crumbled down, melding the metal between the drywall, blocking off escape.

"Let me get you up to speed." I said, lowering my hand as she turned back to me, "I know that you threw Cali onto Stalker's blade. I know you willingly sacrificed her."

"James…"

I closed her mouth with the Force, "No. Me."

She nodded and I released the hold.

"What you didn't know is that you didn't kill her right then." I said. "She held onto life just long enough to get up to the bridge and find my mutilated body. I was dying. She yanked me over to an escape pod, threw me in, and saved my life. Only then did she die."

"What?" Lyra mumbled.

"Yeah." I continued, "However, after she saved me, and before she died, she saw someone and talked to that person. That person was me."

"That's impossible." Lyra whispered.

"No. It's possible." I frowned hard, "I Flow Walked."

Lyra's eyes lit up in recognition, "You walked into the past and influenced it? I thought that was impossible."

"Apparently not. In fact, I talked to her and she expressed to me…how it wasn't my fault even though I blamed myself for not sensing the betrayal." I said, voice softening slightly, "I still do. I have to let that go. She wanted me to." I held my saber tighter, still unlit, "In the past two days, I've lost two people I cared about. And, it was all because of the cowardice of my best friend's sister."

Lyra's face flashed color and her eyes tried to avert, but I didn't let her.

"Now, more." I hardened my tone again, "I also know that you and Tyloid Dephsus have been in a relationship for almost a year now. I also know that you've been letting him know about sensitive information that the Jedi have been speculating on for some time. The reason that the Dusk was even able to find a hidden medical facility on Kashyyyk. It was a rumor, and you still told him. Little did you know, he was working for Dusk. Darth Maul was the leader of the Dusk, Lyra."

"Maul?!" Lyra blanched, "Wait. _Was_?"

"I killed him." I breathed out.

Lyra took a hesitant step back, her own hand falling just beside her lightsaber hilt, "Just as you plan to do to me. For sacrificing a Sith?"

"She wasn't Sith!" I nearly bellowed, causing Lyra to unclip her saber and hold it at the ready, "She was just a kid! You murdered her."

"That was war." Lyra said, her voice taking on a firm tone. "In war, sacrifices must be made to ensure that the work is finished."

"And, what work did you finish?" I asked sarcastically, "I know that it was Cali that actually planted the bombs while you guarded the door. I know that you turn tailed and ran after betraying her. Betraying me."

"That had nothing to do with you!" Lyra protested.

"No?" I raised an eyebrow, the thick fog of lies started to ebb away as emotions told a story from behind the curtains, "I can feel it, Lyra. I feel the unspoken thoughts."

Lyra tried to close her mind off in the Force but I dashed forward through her defenses and pushed into the recesses of her mind. Her mental walls snapped up, but I was already inside, peering through the time she had endured since coming into the galaxy.

I saw Dooku and Ventress kidnap Dave, Lyra, and their family and my family. I saw her become a subject of the Dark Influence. I saw the day I freed her from the spell. I saw glimpses of the six years after that. Then, I saw the Galaxy Gun and felt the emotions that she emitted through the Force, and I couldn't believe it.

I pulled back, and Lyra knew what I had felt, "Anger. Distaste. Jealousy."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Lyra shouted.

"You were jealous." I said. "You knew that the Dark Side almost always corrupts an individual, yet Cali had come back from it. She had done something…that you know you couldn't. You separated yourself from the act because you knew that you could never be with…"

Lyra's eyes widened as she realized what I was getting at, "I let that go a long time ago."

"The day I died." I whispered. "I chose Cali to stand beside me as my apprentice. I chose Ahsoka as my lover. I chose Mara as my daughter. And, you were left to be what you always have been: my best friend's sister."

Lyra's blue blade snapped to life beside her, "Cali wasn't meant to be a part of the circle. She was Sith. I eliminated a potential threat to all of us…to you."

"You're insane." I breathed out, not igniting my blade just yet, "Your jealousy over me choosing people in my life led you down this path? And, when I was gone, you moved on and share confidential information with someone who used it to sell to Maul. Maul then killed my friend."

"That isn't my fault." Lyra bit back. "I didn't tell him to sell the information. I was just sharing my day with him. He understands."

"Apparently, not." I said. "Ahsoka should be arresting him at this very moment."

Lyra's eyes flashed with fury, "No! You can't! I…"

"…love him?" I chuckled darkly, "Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy or boast."

"Do not quote the Bible to me, James." Lyra spit, "My belief died a long time ago, as I'm sure yours did."

"Not for a single day." I said. "You're still the same as you were when we were children: always believing you know everything, always grabbing at what you have and don't have. You always cling to things with such a ferocity that it threatens to change who you are. Your lifestyles, your very existence changes. But, the patterns always stay the same."

"You don't understand what it's like. To be overshadowed every day because there is someone else better." Lyra said, her voice low and menacing, "You _never _have."

"That's where you are wrong. You may have forgotten, but up until I was a Jedi there were only two people who cared about me besides my family: David and you. That was enough for me." I said, finally igniting my saber, "But, I didn't let that want for friendship become a need to survive. You did. And, that jealousy led you to become a _coward _who only wants to survive, even at the cost of a child's life."

"She was no child."

"She was _seventeen_." I bit out. "She was stolen from her home."

"And, now, she can rest."

I pointed my blade at her, "You are under arrest for the murder of Cali, a seventeen-year-old girl. You will face the Council, and you will face the judgement they pass on."

"Your charges will never stick." Lyra said. "You have no proof."

"I don't care." I growled, "The authorities won't deal with you. The Jedi and I will."

"You can't hold me for long." Lyra said, smiling slightly, "I'm much better than you remember."

"No, you're not." I shot back, "You've always sucked."

"I won't be arrested!" Lyra screeched, dashing forward, saber raised for a high slash.

I caught the blade with my own blue one, crossing it downward and scooping it with a twirling motion, sending the blade flying away. I was about to comment on her lack of skill when Lyra drove an elbow straight into my face, splitting my lip slightly and making me lose hold on my lightsaber for a moment.

That moment was all she needed.

She grabbed the lightsaber from my hand and slammed the hilt into my chest, the cavity erupting in fire. I stumbled back a bit before she jumped up, kicking her right leg out to catch me in the same place she had just struck me a half second before.

As I regained my composure, she summoned her saber back into her hand and dove at me with both blades.

I ignited the darksaber and blocked the oncoming advance. She had gotten considerably faster, that much was obvious. But, as her attacks continued to pour out, I realized they still lacked the grace that a true Jedi would need to hone in order to excel in combat.

I found my way through her defense and sent the blades flying away one by one. As she readied herself for another physical strike, I brought up the darksaber to meet her hand. At the last second, she changed direction, sliding past the blade until she flew straight into the window behind me.

The glass shattered and she started to fall. I knew, as she knew, that if she was to continue falling her own prowess in the Force wouldn't be enough to soften the landing at that point. She would die.

I reached out my hand as quick as lightning and seized her by the forearm, "I got you!"

"Let me go!" Lyra screamed, eyes brimming with anger, a twinge of yellow seeping into the blue, "You've taken everything from me now! What more do you want!?"

"I want you to face justice for your crimes." I said simply.

"My love. My hope. My purpose." Lyra repeated this a few times before she surrendered to the situation. "You're gonna lock me away, so why won't you just _drop me_?!"

And, for the first time since knowing everything, I had true compassion in my voice, "I would _never_ let you fall."

With that, I yanked her back up. Immediately, she tried to leap around me, the Force flowing through her enough to reach for her lightsaber. I smacked it away with my hand and held her shoulders with both my hands.

I stared into her gaze, "That's enough, Lyra!"

Lyra's eyes started to water, "I had no choice."

I sighed, "There is always a choice."

"We would have died." Lyra protested, then her argument fell silent.

"No." I said softly, "You wouldn't have. But, _I _did."

In one swift motion, I turned her around and attached a set of Force binders to her wrists, "You're under arrest. Please, don't make this harder than it has to be."

"Of all the people who might've done this," Lyra began, her voice devoid of hope, "I never thought it would be you."

"Me either."

* * *

Hours later, the doors to the Master's Council opened up wide as I stepped through the walkway. The Council had already been shown of my survival, and everyone had questions, but everyone was also relieved. I was met by embrace after embrace, ranging from a hug to a handshake to a clap on the back. I handed off Lyra to the Temple Guards until her trial would be held, using my Force Vision to show each Council Member what the Force had shown me. It was damning.

But, Yoda was not present. They told me that he would be back from a small meeting at the Senate. I told them I would wait.

While I waited, I went down to the Library and looked at a few holo books. However, when I felt Master Yoda enter the Council Spire, I went back.

And, as I moved through the small space that separated us both, I felt his presence in the Force shift.

He turned around to face me, and his eyes reflected that of the relief and joy his tone held, "Master Marko."

I walked over and sat cross-legged in front of him, "Master Yoda."

For a full five seconds, Yoda was silent, his mouth moving slightly before he said, "Good to see you it is. Gone for a long time you have been."

I nodded, "Yes, Master, it's been quite some time. For me, though, it feels like I talked to you only a few days ago from Mandalore."

"The last time I spoke to you that was." Yoda said softly, "An assault you then led, led to victory it did, but also great sadness."

"I know." I said. "I made a call. And, it worked."

"Protected you, the Force did." Yoda said, tapping his stick on the ground, "As it protects us all. Your destiny, fulfilled it is not. Back to the Order, you are."

I shuffled slightly, "That is what I wanted to talk about, Master."

Yoda's ears moved, "Hm?"

"I'm not coming back to the Order." I said softly, my voice almost a whisper, "Not in the way that you think I am."

"Much conflict I sense in you." Yoda said, his tone warning. "What do you wish to say?"

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath, "On the Galaxy Gun, and on Mandalore, I tapped into the Dark Side."

"Sensed it, I did."

I looked up slightly, "You felt it from here?"

Yoda nodded, "Indeed. Anger. Hatred. However, control I felt. Control I thought impossible."

I used that to delve into the next line, "But, nothing is impossible with the Force. And, it was through the Force and the will of a complete stranger that saved me from passing into my afterlife. And, now, I know what I have to do."

"And, what is that?" Yoda asked.

I took another deep breath as I prepared to finish the statement, "I must make a different sect of the Jedi Order."

Once again, Yoda was silent. He then turned around and walked towards the window on the other side of the chamber, looking out to the setting primary of the solar system.

"Sensed this, I did. Conflict." Yoda said. "Respect your decision, I do. Know, you do, that the Senate cannot support you?"

"Yes, Master." I said, lowering my head, "I have made arrangements. I will be teaching my students and my members how to find Balance within the Force."

"That is what a Jedi should do." Yoda said. "What we have tried to do."

"There is no try." I said, "We must only act. And, I feel like the Jedi cannot act while they continue to live on Coruscant. There are too many things happening here. It is affecting how the young ones view the galaxy and how the older ones choose to live in it."

"Through the Force, we purify the darkness." Yoda said.

"You attempt to, but you can't just do that on a planet like this." I said, raising my head, "The Senate and the Republic itself goes through stages of corruption and we cannot change that just by pure force of will, or even of hope through the Force."

"The Jedi serve the will of the Force." Yoda said. "As this is."

"Is it, Yoda?" I dared. "You know where I came from?"

"From Earth, you did." Yoda said. "Knew the possible future, you did."

"And, in that future, the Jedi stayed the way they've been since they continued to exist on Coruscant: stagnate and susceptible to corruption. You continue to play yourself if you stay."

Yoda did not say anything this time, but fixed me with a small stare. He didn't have to say anything in that moment. I could read him.

I got to my feet with a small sigh, "I never wanted to disrespect you, Master, but this is how the way things are going. I'm going to start this new sect on a planet far from here, but we are always here to help, and we will travel the galaxy as Jedi should to help."

Yoda nodded, tapping his stick one more time, "Understand, I do."

I nodded, "And, anyone that follows is more than welcome. We won't disappear forever, Master, I'll see you soon."

Yoda nodded, a small smile on his face as he patted the side of my leg, "This I do hope is the truth."

"Of course, Master Yoda."

* * *

_Four weeks later, on a small, populated planet in the mid rim._

"Come on, Master!" Ahsoka smiled wide as she led Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, and their families across a beautiful walkway that stretched towards a large building. It was multilayered, but there was a modern design to it, but it also showed the small curvature of a religious temple. In all honesty, Anakin Skywalker thought it looked like someone's own take on the Jedi Temple.

He saw that the building itself was massive, stretching farther than a brisk walk could take him to cross. The grass, trees, and flowers were in full bloom all around the building, teeming with life and the Force. He felt true peace surround the building itself.

Anakin looked up and saw who he thought was Jake Marko and Ziv Kotan having an acrobatic challenge, jumping from spire to spire. No one else seemed to notice, so he looked back down.

Then, they reached the front of the building, where two huge doors stood. They were rimmed with silver lining and platinum etchings.

Anakin shot Obi Wan a look, "You have any idea what this place is? Or where we are?"

Obi Wan shrugged, smiling slightly, "I can only assume we were kept in the dark for a reason. I mean, it _is _Ahsoka."

Anakin whispered now, "Yeah, but don't you think it's even a little weird that she wanted us all here urgently and now there's this big…structure?"

Obi Wan nodded, "I mean, it's a little odd. But, this is _your _former apprentice."

Anakin smirked, "Point taken." He reached down and took Luke into his arms, placing him on his shoulders just as Obi Wan took Ben onto his own.

"What do you think, Ben?" Obi Wan asked, glancing up to his son.

Ben smiled, "I think this place is really big, and it's cooler than the Temple already!"

Luke laughed and said, "You're right, Ben!"

Anakin chuckled, "I guess the verdict is out."

Siri came up on Obi Wan's left side, "It does have a better aesthetic to it than the Temple, or maybe I'm saying that because we've had to look at the Temple for all these years."

Padme came up with Leia on Anakin's right side, "Not to mention it obviously means something to Ahsoka." Leia nodded fiercely in agreement.

Then, Ahsoka turned to face them all, a broad smile on her face. A smile that Anakin had not seen on his former apprentice in many years. The happiness that radiated from her was so bright that he thought, for a single instant, that Blaze was…

The doors opened wide to reveal a young man in grey Jedi like robes walking through the threshold. In his arms were two children barely the age of two. One was human and one was Togrutan, but the Skywalkers and Kenobis already knew who they were.

Max and Lexiah Marko.

Beside the young man was a girl with fire red hair and green eyes, to which they knew her to be Mara Jade Marko.

And, the man suddenly became recognizable and everyone's heart stopped at the sight.

Luke and Ben were lowered to the ground as Obi Wan and Anakin did not want to drop them.

Anakin was the first person to take a step forward and reach out into the Force, finding the Force presence of one of his dearest friends that he had thought long dead. With a watery smile, he spoke, "Blaze?"

Luke, Leia, and Ben all screamed at the same time in glee, "IT'S UNCLE BLAZE!"

Blaze nodded, his smile wide with teeth showing, "Anakin! Obi Wan! Everyone! I'm glad you could make it!"

Ahsoka came by and scooped Lexiah into her arms as Blaze held his hand out for Anakin to take, "Hey, Skywalker. Want to come in for lunch? And to chat?"

Anakin nodded, his smile wide as tears started to flow, "I would love to, old friend."

With that, he took Blaze's hand.

* * *

**Stay tuned for the Epilogue: Curtain Closer**


	13. Epilogue: Curtain Closer

**Epilogue:  
Curtain Closer**

I looked at the chrono that hung on the wall across from my bed. The blue lights flickered to life as it realized that someone was looking upon it, showing that it was the middle of the night.

Gently, I lifted Ahsoka's head off my chest and laid her down on the bed, tucking her in gently as to not wake her. I sent waves calmness into the Force bond we shared as I moved to the balcony doors. With precision, I opened them up and stepped into the nighttime air of the new planet I called my home.

It had been three months since I left the Order and things had started to form correctly. However, I knew, as most knew, that the battles would always keep coming as long as the Jedi stayed around. And, I would always be there to face anyone that dared disrupt such balance and peace.

I walked to the edge of the balcony, holding onto the railing as a cool breeze wafted by my face.

I reached into my pants' pocket and pulled out a holo communicator. Switching a few dials, I let the signal transmit.

I was on hold for several seconds before the image of one I could never forget flashed in front of my face, his arms crossed against his chest as he sat cross-legged on the floor of his training room.

"Kane."

Kane looked at me for a few more seconds before his lips curved up in a small smile, _"So, I assume by you contacting me that Miss Tano's mission was a success?"_

"You ask like you didn't already know." I said, raising an eyebrow.

Kane unfolded his arms, _"I had a hunch."_

"No need to lie to me, Kane." I said evenly, "I know the Shard showed you something, just like it showed me."

Kane's smile widened a bit more as he let out a chuckle, _"I should've known that wouldn't work."_

"Especially if you are my clone." I couldn't help the smile that rose to my own face, not from joy or comradery but because for once I had used sarcasm, "I know you have some of them."

_"__What makes you think that?"_ Kane asked, _"I'm not denying, just curious now."_

I held my hand backwards until my lightsaber appeared in my fingers. I held it towards the hologram and the hilt split into two pieces, the Kyber Shard floating in the middle. Immediately, the crystal started to brighten a bit, "Because, like I said, you're my clone."

Kane nodded, _"Fair enough. Yes, I do have one."_

"Two."

_"__Fine. Two."_ Kane rolled his eyes gently, _"Are you planning on taking them from me, Marko?"_

I shook my head, much to Kane's surprise, and said, "I think they need to be split up right now. That is too much power for hands other than our own. You saw what it did to Cultrous."

_"__And, what it did to Maltus."_ Kane put in, _"He was the first to unlock the secrets of the Shard, and he showed Cultrous later, only to skip the final training session to attack Palpatine. Then, he fought you. We all know how that turned out."_

I nodded, digesting the new information, "I'm assuming you have the one that Cultrous had and the one inside the Dark Influence."

Kane raised a hand and the two Shards appeared out of thin air, shining with bright red and orange lights. Then, he closed his fist and they flew back to wherever they came from.

_"__Yes."_ Kane said simply, _"They are under heavy guard at all times. They are still far too unstable to use for long periods of time."_

"Maltus had it on him twenty-four seven." I said, another gust of wind blowing my tousled hair a bit. "Cultrous as well."

_"__And, I won't make that same mistake."_ Kane said, his facial features softening slightly, _"You must count yourself lucky that your Shards are more controlled than the ones in my possession."_

"I'm not drawing on their power all the time." I explained, "And, along with that, if I do it's indirectly. I didn't know that's how I learned those techniques so fast when I was a child. It makes sense now, but I didn't even bat an eye at my feats then. No one did."

_"__The Shard's influence."_ Kane came to the conclusion, _"You gained strength and others accepted it. Oh, how Palpatine truly fucked up with you."_

"Is that so?"

Kane smiled again, placing his hands on his knees as he leaned forward, _"He planned to make you and Anakin his apprentices. If he had succeeded, I have no doubt you would have overthrown him and the galaxy would be yours by now."_

A shudder ran down my spine as I remembered the Dark Side flowing through Anakin on the Galaxy Gun, and as it flowed through me on two separate occasions. A darkness that was a part of every being no matter their age or size or species. It was a darkness, however, that needed to be conquered and controlled.

I tore my thoughts away and focused on the present once again, "The Republic and the Jedi are now working together to try to use the Shard you used in the Galaxy Gun to unlock secrets they don't know how to use just yet."

_"__Your plan?"_ Kane asked.

I shrugged, "Watch for now. If they get close to something dangerous, I'll put a stop to it. Just like everything in my life at this point."

_"__One man cannot do it alone."_ Kane said, his voice gentler than it had ever been.

"I'm never alone." I smiled, gazing back for a second to see Ahsoka shift in her sleep.

Kane smiled back, _"I understand that now."_ He reached for the receiver.

I held a hand out, "Wait. Did you _know _I was alive the whole time?"

Kane seemed to think for a moment, then spoke_, "I was able to tap into the Shard's powers for an instant and saw someone go up against the Dusk, fighting Maul, and standing victorious. I couldn't see who it was. Then, the vision ended and I saw who it was: it was__** me**__."_

"Which only gave you the idea that maybe _my_ story wasn't over." I said, completing the thought.

Kane nodded, then his demeanor turned somber, _"For a moment, I feared that if I gave Miss Tano hope that wasn't warranted, she might sink back into despair. Therefore, I would have failed my promise to you."_

For the first time, I looked upon my dark clone with softer eyes. There was always a grudging respect and existence between us, but now I could see the _me _in him. I could feel the kindness that he wanted to show, but he was shackled by the darkness that birthed him. But, just as he said years ago: he was free to make his own choices now.

"You made good on it." I said. "And, so, I thank you, Kane."

Kane threw a hand through the air in a dismissive wave, _"Think nothing of it, Counterpart. Just keep those Shards and your family safe. That's all that matters."_

I nodded, "Well spoken."

Kane gave a small smile, _"Until the next time, Blaze Marko."_ He gave a small bow of his head.

I returned the gesture, "Until then, Kane."

The connection died off and I lowered my gaze to the night sky once again, seeing the thousands of stars dot the ever-expansive blackness of the universe.

I took a deep breath and turned around, placing my lightsaber on the table beside the inner door and walking back to lay in the bed. Immediately, Ahsoka curled back up against me, her head against my chest. Then, her face turned up. Sleepy eyes met mine and a warm, loving smile adorned her features. In that moment, I didn't know if I had ever seen her more beautiful.

Gently, she reached a hand up to caress my bearded face, "Hey, love."

"Hi." I whispered back. "What're you doing awake?"

"I could ask you the same thing." She whispered, then she caught the glint in my eyes and smiled, "Kane?"

"Reading my mind, Tano?" I joked softly, holding her closer.

"Always." Ahsoka smiled, leaning up to kiss me softly. She pulled back after a moment, "All good?"

I nodded, "All good."

"I'm sure you'll tell me about it in the morning." She yawned and laid back down to sleep on my chest.

"Of course." I said softly. "Love you forever."

"Love you always."

* * *

**And, there you go! The conclusion to BOOK III. The funny thing is that I actually didn't mean for this to be a main title, but the story was so important that it had to be one. As I stated in my profile, Ill wait a bit before starting BOOK IV. But keep an eye out for some fun, serious, important, and silly small stories over the coming weeks! Until then! **

**Also, thank you so much for reading!**


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